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WA head of the Office of Defence Industries Linda Dawson, Senator Ellie Whiteaker, defence expert Jennifer Parker, and Ventia’s Pauline Fitzgerald have been announced to open a new strategic panel at Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026.
Australia’s largest land defence industry event is scheduled to be held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre from 6–8 October this year.
Opening remarks will be provided by Vicki Pearce, growth and strategy manager at Ventia, with panellists including Jennifer Parker, expert associate at the ANU National Security College; Pauline Fitzgerald, general manager, Defence Base Services Contract at Ventia; Linda Dawson, Office of Defence Industries, Department of the Premier and Cabinet; and Senator Ellie Whiteaker, parliamentary joint committee on defence.
The Women in Defence Association and Ventia will bring together Defence, industry, government and national security leaders for a strategic panel examining how Australia can strengthen resilience and preparedness across the land and littoral domains.
Held as part of Land Forces, the panel will explore the role of Defence–industry partnerships in ensuring Australia has the sovereign capability, resilient supply chains, infrastructure and workforce required to surge at speed and scale during periods of disruption.
The discussion will consider the practical challenges of operating across remote regions, sustaining critical supply chains, mobilising skilled workforces and ensuring infrastructure is ready to support Defence operations when demand increases rapidly.
The session will be moderated by Rachel Falzon, national president of Women in Defence Association (WiDA).
“Resilience is not something Defence can build alone. It requires strong partnerships across government, industry, communities and our allies, and it requires us to consider the people, infrastructure and supply chains that underpin our operational capability,” Falzon said.
“This panel will provide an opportunity to have a practical conversation about what it takes to be ready to surge, particularly across geographically dispersed and strategically important regions, and how Defence and industry can work together to strengthen Australia’s preparedness for complex and high-tempo events.”
The panel reflects WiDA’s commitment to creating meaningful connections across the defence ecosystem and providing a platform for informed discussion on the issues shaping Australia’s defence capability and national security.
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