The Defence Connect Australian Defence Industry Awards were created to reflect the comprehensive role of the defence industry as a fundamental input to Australia’s capability.

This year, the black-tie gala event will bring together leaders to celebrate the industry’s night of nights. The 2019 sell-out event in Canberra celebrated the achievements and excellence of the industry’s most successful professionals and businesses. In 2020 we will continue this tradition.

The awards are open to all businesses operating in Australia supporting the defence supply chain, and will be a desirable accolade for both individuals and businesses seeking to forge their role in the defence industry.

Recognising people and businesses, rather than products and platforms, the Defence Connect Australian Defence Industry Awards universally acknowledges all defence industry stakeholders – from our primes, SMEs, academic institutions and associations through to high-performing individuals such as defence executives, Indigenous and female leaders, students, scientists, technicians and academics.

You can nominate a colleague or friend through our event website. You will need to complete the online form and provide the email address and phone number of the nominee so that we can let them know of the nomination. This can be done anonymously.

When you nominate someone for an award, they will receive an email notifying them of the nomination. You can choose to be anonymous or to let them know of your nomination. The email will contain details about what they have been nominated for and the submission process, encouraging them to enter the awards. Note that a submission still needs to be made in order to be eligible for the award.

You are welcome to make more than one nomination or to nominate multiple people. Making more than one nomination does not increase the chances of becoming a finalist. Finalist selection is based on the submission made by the nominee.

No, entering is free and we encourage you to join or nominate people in as many eligible categories as possible.

To enter a submission for the Defence Connect Australian Defence Industry Awards, please click here once submissions are open. Create an account, answer the questions and attach any supporting documents such as references, testimonials, statistics, video, media coverage, business metrics or third-party data that support your nomination. Once all sections are complete, confirm and submit. Prompts are available throughout the portal to assist you. If you have any questions, please contact Sebastian Cruz at [email protected].

The black-tie gala event will again showcase the depth of talent in Australia’s defence industry while affirming its essential role in supporting national security and driving innovation, economic growth and workforce development. This is the networking event of the year for the defence industry, and one you won’t want to miss being recognised at.

Yes, you are welcome to make your own submission or a submission on somebody else’s behalf. Please ensure that permission is granted before making a submission on somebody else’s behalf.

Please see the category criteria and eligibility on our website.

Please refer to the table of postcodes below to determine if you should apply for a metropolitan or regional award category, where applicable.

You can log in any time to amend or add to your submission until the submission period closes. If you have any problems here, please contact Sebastian Cruz at [email protected]

Supporting documents can include references, testimonials, statistics, video, media coverage and financial or business metrics and/or statements and third-party independent data reports that support your submission. However, there are limits to the size of documents that can be uploaded. If you are having problems uploading a document, please let us know. Supporting documents are looked upon favourably by the judges, so consider their content, relevance and format.

The official deadline for close of submissions is 5:30pm on Thursday, 10 September 2020. If you have problems meeting the time indicated, please contact Sebastian Cruz at [email protected].

Finalists may have their headshot displayed alongside their name on screen when they are announced at the event. We may also use headshots to announce finalists on our social media campaigns.

A selection of videos will be compiled and screened at the awards evening. Your video may or may not be played. If you do not want your video to be played at the event, please advise us no later than COB 30 October 2020.

Although there is no official scoring for the videos, judges may consider the effort that has gone into making it if, for instance, they are weighing up scores against other submissions in your category.

This answer will not be scored as part of your submission. Your answer will be displayed on the screen if you are announced as a winner.

Answer the questions. Provide accurate and concise information. Make use of the available word count to draw upon examples to support your claims. Remember that judges often have a lot of submissions to consider, so make it entertaining and informative. Supporting documents are also looked upon favourably as it strengthens your submission, provided that they are relevant to your submission. Judges do not want to spend a lot of time reviewing information that is not relevant to the questions or submission. Don’t be shy – contact your colleagues and clients for testimonials and references.

Although we would love to give everyone feedback on their submission, they are reviewed by multiple judges who are not always able to comment on each entry.

A judging panel made up of highly respected industry professionals with a broad range of experiences will be chosen to examine the submissions. Judging is allocated to ensure that there will be no conflict of interest in each category. Each judge will be assigned a number of categories and will be asked to score each submission in those categories based on all documentation provided by award entrants. Several judges are assigned per category to ensure a range of expertise and opinions. The aggregate highest score will determine the winner of each award.

All information is highly confidential and is only shared with the events team and the judges for that category. The information is not published and permissions would have to be sought if required.

Finalists will be announced during the month of September 2020.

An announcement will be sent out via email to all entrants and published on the website, as well as a news story on the Defence Connect website.

This is impossible to answer. Follow the tips above to increase your chances. Some categories have very many entries and it’s a very difficult process determining finalists. We do limit the number of finalists, so if you don’t make it, don’t be put off as you may have only just missed out. Remember that you do have to be “in it to win it”!

Getting the recognition that you deserve by winning an award or becoming a finalist can be a real boost to your business. Our events also provide a great opportunity to network with like-minded companies and individuals. You are provided with a finalist seal and certificate that you can display on your website or in your office. You are also provided with a press release to help you spread the word to your network.

You are encouraged to attend if you make it as a finalist. The event gives you an opportunity to be celebrated for (and to celebrate) your outstanding work in the field.

You will be invited on stage to receive a trophy. You will also be provided with a winner’s seal that can be used on your email signature, LinkedIn, resume or website.

A sumptuous three-course meal, beverages and entertainment from our MC.

Bring whoever you would like! Please feel free to bring colleagues, friends and family to the event.

While the event allows minors, we are unable to give a discount to children and minors.

We will be able to assist you with any dietary requirements as long as you notify us in advance at [email protected]. Kosher meals will incur a fee.