Defence's north star

With up to $18 billion set to flow into northern bases over the next decade, the Northern Australia Defence Summit drew a strong turnout of Consult Australia members.

NT Defence Week 2025 was held from 28 April to 2 May and included a series of informative presentations, networking events with the Department of Defence, NT Government and defence industry leaders, as well as site visits.

NT Defence Week’s main event was the Northern Australia Defence Summit, at the Darwin Convention Centre, where leaders, policymakers, industry experts and business owners gathered to explore the evolving defence landscape in Northern Australia.

With a theme of “Uplifting industry” across Australia’s northern regions, the two-day event underscored Territory’s critical role in Defence and national security, says Consult Australia’s Defence Manager, Matt Williams.

“Defence expenditure accounted for 9% of the Northern Territory’s gross state product in 2022-23, compared to 2.3% nationally – making it a powerhouse sector for the Territory and our members,” Matt says.a

Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, who is also Minister for Defence NT, launched NT Defence Week by emphasising the importance of the defence industry to the Territory.

“The North has consistently proven its capacity to support major investments, infrastructure projects, and strategic initiatives, and the Defence Strategic Review further highlights the urgency of this work. Getting this right will deliver benefits to the nation. Collaboration and a shared vision are key to our success.”

According to the Northern Territory Government, recent and current projects include:

The one-and-a-half-day Summit featured keynote speakers from high-profile Defence leaders, including Brigadier Matthew Quinn, Director General of Capital Facilities and Infrastructure with the Department of Defence’s Security and Estate Group.

Presentations explored key planned programs in northern Australian including guided weapons and explosive ordnance program of works (GWEO), a Defence fuels resilience program and a theatre logistics program.

“Consult Australia members played an active role in these sessions, including supporting the Industry Capability Network event where our members met with construction firms working in the defence sector,” Matt says.

“It was great to see so many Consult Australia members showcasing their expertise and strengthening ties with Defence stakeholders – relationships we’ve been building through Collab defence industry meetings and the national defence infrastructure conference, Collab X, for the last four years.”

Consult Australia’s Defence Roundtable continues to explore issues related to defence procurement, pipeline and contracts.

“As Defence investment grows, Consult Australia’s advocacy is expanding in step. We are leveraging established forums and direct channels with the Department of Defence to ensure our members can confidently navigate Defence opportunities,” Matt concludes.

To learn more about Consult Australia’s defence industry initiatives, including the Defence Roundtable, contact Consult Australia’s Defence Manager, Matt Williams