Defence Minister and Deputy PM, Australian Government
| Role | Organisation | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Defence Minister (former) | the federal government | @AuManufacturing |
| Defence Minister and Deputy PM (former) | Australian Government | ABC News Technology, @AuManufacturing (Thu 6 Mar 2025), @AuManufacturing (Sun 5 May 2024), Defence Connect, Startup Daily, @AuManufacturing (Mon 1 May 2023), @AuManufacturing (Mon 16 Jan 2023) |
| Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister (former) | Commonwealth of Australia | @AuManufacturing |
Stories naming Richard Marles. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.
OpenAI's strategy chief, appearing at an Australian parliamentary hearing after a data breach, said he could not account for local scepticism of AI, while Anthropic, Google and Microsoft also gave evidence on regulation and disclosure.
The federal government has awarded US shipbuilder HII's Australian subsidiary $9.6 million for a two-year pilot that will qualify local SMEs to supply submarine programs, delivered via H&B Defence, HII's venture with Babcock.
Weekly roundup: CEA Technologies lands a $272m radar contract, five startups receive federal grants, Victorian factory insolvencies climb, and GFG Alliance's Whyalla Steelworks hunts new financing.
Weekly roundup of the outlet's most-read stories: grants for industry bodies, Space Machines' India mission funding, a plastics recycler's Melbourne factory, an Austal ownership debate, and a quantum growth centre.
Roundup covering manufacturing placements by Sparc Technologies and Aurora Labs, Wellnex's planned London listing, an autonomous navy boat trial, a workplace fine, a software degree launch and AusBiotech's next CEO.
More than eleven Australian defence firms have contracted to build drone prototypes under ASCA's Sovereign UAS Challenge, with contracts worth a combined $1.21 million and demonstrations planned for April.
Also @AuManufacturing
Australia will create the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator, backed by a decade-long $3.4 billion commitment, to speed defence innovation and procurement; the news follows Fleet Space's recently revealed $6.4m Defence contract.
An academic explainer of directed energy weapons, covering AIM Defence's newly launched Melbourne testing range, a Defence deal with QinetiQ for a prototype laser, and the ASCA program.
The Commonwealth has agreed to acquire radar maker CEA Technologies, eventually making it a government business enterprise. The piece also recalls Motorola's purchase of Barrett Communications and flags other vulnerable defence firms.
A roundup of Australian defence industry items: submarine build plans reaffirmed, missile supply contracts for Kongsberg and Lockheed Martin, DroneShield purchase orders, an F-35 warehouse deal, and questions over a shipbuilding college closure.