The caretaker period for the NSW Election commenced on 3 March 2023. Accordingly, no ministerial press releases or related information issued by the Government from this date will be available on this website. For copies of recently issued ministerial press releases or information on the election policies of any political party as they relate to this department/agency or its portfolio area, please go directly to the website of the relevant political party
The Commonwealth Department of Defence is investing an unprecedented $275bn in Defence capability to 2030, of which approximately $75 billion will be for maritime enhancement. The NSW Government is committed to assisting Defence achieve outcomes in the national interest.
Proudly, NSW hosts more than 80 defence facilities, including six naval establishments (Fleet Base East being a part of HMAS Kuttabul) (shown in Figures 1 and 2) and is home to the largest Defence industrial workforce in Australia.
Figure 1. Naval establishments - Sydney
Figure 2. Naval establishments - Shoalhaven
Each NSW naval establishment contributes to the safety and security of Australia, while also directly and indirectly contributing to Australia’s economy. The naval capabilitywithin NSW represents 30% of employment and 32% of economic activity of all Defence force personnel within the State.
Directly, the naval industry contributes $1.9 billion in economic activity and 7,000 jobs. This includes the many activities occurring at the naval establishments, including the provision of training, accommodation and hospitals and duties performed by commanding officers through to junior sailors. The flow-on impacts from these activities indirectly contributes $1.4 billion in economic activity and 9,500 jobs to the NSW economy.
The 2020 Defence Strategic Update and 2020 Force Structure Plan highlighted the five key maritime domains that are a priority for Commonwealth government investment, development and enhancement:
Maritime surface and above water combat
Undersea warfare
Maritime mine warfare, patrol and geospatial
Maritime combat support and amphibious
Maritime command and control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and electronic warfare (C5ISREW).
In these five domains, NSW has all the Defence, defence industrial and general industrial capability and capacity it needs to develop sovereign support to Defence naval capabilities including unmanned autonomous systems, integrated systems design and sustainment, maritime guided weapons, naval sustainment.
The NSW coastline is also home to the Eastern Australian Exercise Area and notably, two major ports (Port Kembla and Port of Newcastle) have been identified as potential locations for the future East Coast Base, which makes the State geographically critical to supporting the national Defence interest and strategic naval objectives.
The Maritime Campaign will leverage NSW’s competitive strengths in the areas of Defence innovation, research and development, industrial capability and capacity, supported by a resilient and skilled technical workforce to expand existing naval capabilities and position the state to deliver future maritime Defence work.
