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Defence Industry Minister Linda Reynolds has announced the first seven recipients of the Australian government’s largest individual defence industry grants.
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Minister Reynolds said the recipients would benefit from a $2.6 million investment from the $17 million Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority Grants program.
"This dedicated program will assist Australian small-to-medium enterprises to invest in projects that build industrial capabilities aligned with the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities announced in the 2018 Defence Industrial Capability Plan," Minister Reynolds added.
The Defence Industrial Capability Plan sets out a comprehensive plan for Australia’s defence industry. The government is investing in the defence industry and ensuring that it is positioned to support delivery of the Integrated Investment Program over the next decade.
The plan acknowledges that as Australia builds its defence capability, the nation must also grow its defence industrial capability. By 2028, Australia will require a larger, more capable and prepared Australian defence industry that has the resident skills, expertise, technology, intellectual property and infrastructure to:
- Enable the conduct of ADF operations today; and
- Support the acquisition, operation and sustainment of future defence capability; and
- Provide the national support base for Defence to meet current needs and to surge if Australia’s strategic circumstances require it.
Minister Reynolds added, "The Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority Grants are designed to encourage participation by Australia’s small-to-medium enterprises in the largest modernisation of the Australian Defence Force since the Second World War.
"Of the seven recipients, three are from Victoria, two from New South Wales, one from the Australian Capital Territory and one from Queensland."
The Defence Industrial Capability Plan is a key part of the government’s commitment to achieve an Australian defence industry that has the capability, posture and resilience to help meet Australia’s defence needs over the decade to 2028.
"For example, Mellori Solutions is enhancing their ability to repair and maintain electronic warfare simulators in Australia with the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority Grant funding to be used to build an electronic warfare support laboratory," Minister Reynolds said.
The plan brings together all of the levers available to defence industry, from advice to financial support, to realise the government’s vision. It allocates up to $17 million in annual funding from 2018-19 to support Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority Grants. The grants will be delivered by the Centre for Defence Industry Capability.
"Defendtex is also doing important work to develop Australia's first military quality crystal growing capability and will use grant funding to install a manufacturing line for the piezo electric crystal," Minister Reynolds explained.
The government is investing more than $200 billion in defence capability over the next decade with the intention of growing defence industry and the economy, and helping create new jobs.
Applications for this grant program can be made at any time. The next round closes on 8 May 2019. More information about the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority Grants is available here.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
