Summit season promotes exports

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has attended a series of summits since his return from a visit to the United States. The Prime Minister has been promoting export business opportunities in South East Asian markets. It has also been a delicate balancing act given Chinese sensitivities about Australia and the US and accusations the allies are forming a “bloc’’ against Beijing, especially through the $13 billion deal on critical minerals and rare earths. The deal was itself a reaction to China’s decision to apply restrictions to the export of the rare minerals, sparking fears in the West about access, given critical minerals are used in everything from aircraft to tanks and computers. Prime Minister Albanese met Indo-Pacific leaders at the 5th ASEAN-Australia Summit and the 20th East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Prime Minister announced Australia will invest approximately $250 million via the Southeast Asia Infrastructure Financing Facility in two platform funds to kick-start Australian investments– a claim rejected by Australia which says the regular air patrol was being carried out in accordance with international law. The Prime Minister rounded out the week with the APEC conference in Busan, South Korea. However, the highlight was expected to be a meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping with tensions high between the two countries over trade and critical minerals.

Indo-Pac kicks off

AIDN will have a presence at the November 4-6 Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition 2025 which kicks off on Tuesday. The biennial global business event incorporates an international industry exhibition and comprehensive conference program. AIDN will have a hub in the Lower left corner of the exhibition hall, right below the Delegation Lounge and close to numerous defence primes. CEO Mike Johson, Industry Engagement Manager Aelita Miller and Event Coordinator (WA/NSW) Rachel Rettig (nee Luxton) will be in there to assist members. This high-traffic area places business in the heart of key networking activity, maximising visibility to industry leaders, major defence contractors, and government stakeholders attending Indo Pacific. It is the ideal spot for members aiming to connect directly with top-tier partners and decision-makers. Another highlight of the event is the Royal Australian Navy sponsored Indo-Pacific Sea Power Conference which features senior Navy officials. The 2023 event saw more than 27,000 attendees and involved more than 800 exhibitors from 21 nations. Special events this year are also planned to focus on AUKUS Pillar 1 and AUKUS Pillar 2.

Greater scrutiny mooted for Defence

Making its way through the parliament is a bill which will see the Defence Department face greater scrutiny. The Labor Government’s Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025 promises more rigorous independent oversight of the Defence community. The proposed new committee is in addition to the normal Defence Estimate’s committee which is undertaken by the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee which will be maintained. Assistant Defence Minister Peter Khalil told parliament the functions the new watchdog will consider include: publicly released documents dealing with Australian defence strategies, planning and contingencies, such as the bi-annual National Defence Strategy; scrutinising of Australia’s defence capability, development, acquisitions and sustainment including the Integrated Investment Program; examining war and warlike operations in the event of an executive government decision to enter armed conflict; monitoring the involvement of Australian defence agencies in significant non-conflict operations domestically and internationally. The PJCD, as it will be known, will be able to consider classified information in carrying out its oversight function. The bill has yet to pass the Parliament.

USS Vermont WA visit

Wednesday marked another step in Australia’s journey to acquire a sovereign capability to operate and maintain conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines from HMAS Stirling. Australian Submarine Agency Director General Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead suggested that together with AUKUS partners, Australia had the responsibility for coordinating, supporting, and delivering a significant package of maintenance work on USS Vermont (SSN 792), a US Virginia class submarine, which arrived at HMAS Stirling for the Submarine Maintenance Period (SMP). USS Vermont includes 13 Royal Australian Navy personnel in the crew of 134. These are from the cohort of officers and sailors that have completed rigorous training in the US. This year’s SMP involves a larger and more complex package of work that more closely reflects the type of maintenance that will be required when Submarine Rotational Force – West begins operations at HMAS Stirling from 2027. The visit of USS Vermont is a practical training opportunity to test and strengthen Australia’s nuclear stewardship systems, drawing on the deep operational experience and safety standards of the AUKUS partners.

Debate over Henderson spending

A vigorous debate took place in parliament this week on Defence spending and particularly the $12 billion announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for the Henderson Precinct in WA. Shadow Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price questioned whether the $12 billion was a real commitment given the lack of detail proffered at Estimates. Shadow Minister Price said the total figure required, by Labor’s own admission, was likely to be more like $25 billion. She also accused the government of not being able to answer basic questions on when and over what period their commitment would be spent. But that is not all, she said, the boundaries and the definition of the actual Henderson precinct had not been finalised, and the planning work would not be complete until 2027. But WA Labor member for Hasluck, Tania Lawrence who posed the motion in the Federation Chamber, suggested the Albanese government was making record investments in shipbuilding and submarine maintenance in the West. She maintained the investment would support 10,000 direct jobs over two decades.