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What is Defence West?
The Australian Government has identified Western Australia as the location of Henderson Defence Precinct and the operational hub for AUKUS.
In that context it is interesting to see that on 17 June 2026, the Defence West Bill 2026 was introduced in Western Australia by Minister for Defence Industries, the Hon Paul Papalia MP. The Bill will turn Defence West, an agency created in 2017 in the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation, into Australia's first standalone independent statutory authority. The key objectives of Defence West as set out in the Bill are to increase the defence industry's growth in all domains, provide expert advice, promote defence projects, and support veterans.
Mr Papalia said in his Second Reading Speech that the Bill would grow the defence industry, create high-value jobs, drive long-term economic diversification and support veterans. Mr Papalia stated the reforms are necessary for ensuring that Western Australia does not miss out on opportunities to expand the defence sector, particularly for long-term projects such as AUKUS.
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