Defence strategy chief to spearhead Budget 2026: National Defence Outlook event

As the federal government moves forward with a $425 billion investment over the decade to deliver the accelerated capabilities required for the integrated, focused force, the 2026 National Defence Strategy and accompanying 2026 Integrated Investment Program (IIP) have fundamentally reshaped Australia’s defence and industrial landscape. This year’s event will place those ambitions firmly under the spotlight.

Widely regarded as a key forum for candid and substantive discussion, the event has built a reputation for moving beyond rhetoric and into the practical realities shaping Australia’s defence future.

The 2026 program will focus squarely on implementation, specifically, how the government’s unprecedented investment pipeline will flow through the Australian industrial base and how the sovereign capabilities critical to Australia’s national security will be delivered.

Defence and Aerospace Lead at Momentum Media, Steve Kuper, said the calibre of this year’s speaker line-up reflected the importance of the event at a pivotal moment for the nation’s defence sector.

“The inclusion of Deputy Secretary Strategy, Policy, and Industry Hugh Jeffrey further reinforces the importance of the annual Defence Connect budget event as a key platform for informing and engaging Australia’s defence industry,” Kuper said.

The 2026 IIP prioritises investment in an enhanced undersea warfare capability centred on a sovereign fleet of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines while also accelerating the acquisition of more lethal maritime capabilities, expanding long-range strike options and increasing the adoption of autonomous and uncrewed systems across the maritime, land and air domains.

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“Hugh Jeffrey’s perspective on the strategic direction underpinning Australia’s future force structure, combined with the broader capability uplift outlined in the Integrated Investment Program, will help industry better understand where opportunities exist and where immediate effort is required to support national capability outcomes,” Kuper added.

With defence expenditure forecast to rise to 3 per cent of gross domestic product by 2033 under the government’s NATO-aligned spending benchmark, alongside major structural reforms including the establishment of the Defence Delivery Agency, this year’s speaker line-up represents one of the most consequential assembled in recent years.

Speakers include:

• The honourable Pat Conroy MP, Minister for Defence Industry, Minister for International Development and the Pacific, who will outline the government’s approach to strengthening Australia’s sovereign industrial base and deepening strategic partnerships across the Indo-Pacific.
• Major General Matt Pearse AO, acting head of Force Design and Head Force Integration, who will provide insight into how the Australian Defence Force is approaching capability integration and force design to ensure investment decisions translate into genuine operational capability.
• Veteran geostrategic analyst Marc Ablong PSM, who will deliver broader strategic context on the deteriorating regional security environment driving Australia’s accelerated defence investment agenda.
• Michael Shoebridge, founder and director of Strategic Analysis Australia, alongside Dr Marcus Hellyer, head of research at the organisation, will bring rigorous independent analysis to discussions surrounding capability priorities, procurement reform and delivery timelines.
• Major General (Ret’d) Andrew Bottrell AO will contribute deep operational and institutional experience, offering a perspective grounded in the realities of defence capability development and sustainment.
• Senator James Paterson, shadow minister for defence, will outline the Coalition’s position on Australia’s national security priorities as bipartisan concern continues to grow regarding the rapidly worsening strategic environment.
• Hugh Jeffrey, Deputy Secretary Strategy, Policy, and Industry, will provide critical insight into the strategic and industrial settings shaping Australia’s future force posture and defence industrial base.

Moderating proceedings will be David Speers, one of Australia’s most respected political journalists and editors, whose sharp and incisive interview style is expected to drive robust and substantive discussion throughout the event.

For Australian businesses, the message is unequivocal: this is no longer a peripheral discussion. These investments will support tens of thousands of highly skilled Australian jobs directly and across complex national supply chains.

Understanding where your organisation fits within that ecosystem and how to engage with Defence’s evolving procurement and delivery framework is becoming essential for any business seeking to participate in the nation’s long-term defence uplift.

Tickets are now available and selling fast. Additional information, including the full agenda, can be accessed via the official event website.