NSW Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy, Anthony Roberts, led a delegation of NSW companies to Land Forces 2016 in Adelaide last week to promote the state’s capabilities to potential global buyers.
Minister Roberts said 12 local companies featured on a NSW Government stand at the exhibition, which attracted more than 10,000 visitors.
“The NSW defence industry contributes more than $5 billion to the state’s economy and employs some 30,000 people, many in valuable high-skilled jobs and we want to drive greater investment and jobs growth,” Minister Roberts said.
“Our supply chain strengths give NSW the competitive edge to feed into Australia’s major Defence projects including the Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle, Infantry Fighting Vehicle, Manoeuvre Support Vehicle, Light Protected Mobility Vehicle and medium and heavy vehicles.
“We’ve already seen the Commonwealth’s confidence in NSW to deliver outstanding support with the Defence Industry Minister’s recent announcement of $300 million of Defence procurement contracts for Williamtown and the Hunter.”
Minister Roberts has asked the NSW Defence Advocate, Air Marshal John Harvey (Ret’d), to work with his counterparts in other states and territories and with the defence industry, to fully leverage the opportunities identified in the Commonwealth’s 2016 Defence White Paper.
“The opportunities presented by the 2016 Defence White Paper are so broad that no single Australian state or territory can fulfil them all. It will take a truly national and co-ordinated approach,” AIRMSHL Harvey said.
“I will be working closing with the defence industry and the other states and territories to help build that truly national approach.”