As we prepare for Anzac Day ceremonies and celebrations in Australia’s largest Garrison city, the region is also gearing up for the outcome of the Federal Government’s Houston Smith Defence Strategic Review.
In October last year, Townsville Enterprise together with Townsville City Council and Charters Towers Regional Council made a formal submission to the review and we continued these advocacy efforts at our recent delegation in Canberra.
Townsville has a long and proud role at the core of our nation’s Defence. We are strategically positioned on the doorstep of the Pacific as Australia’s natural gateway for deployment, engagement, training and military operations.
The region supports a comprehensive range of capability including air, land and maritime base, advanced training ranges, port, logistics and industry necessary for mobilisation, preparation, projection and sustainable of Australian or coalition forces.
One third of the Army’s deployable combat forces call Townsville home and 7.5 per cent are Defence members and their dependents. All the building blocks are in place for this region to be a pillar of Defence capability, but not without targeted government investment.
Earlier this year, we welcomed the announcement from the Federal Government that 16th Aviation Brigade would move its headquarters to Townsville. This will see capabilities grouped together, rather than being spread out across multiple bases.
Our port expansion will, for example, be able to provide Defence with dedicated facilities in the future. Our Australian Singapore Military Training Initiative will provide up to 14,000 military personnel training for up to 18 weeks a year for 25 years. And the Federal Government’s recent funding commitment to the NQ Spark project will provide innovative simulation training.
The opportunity for Townsville North Queensland to support Defence – now and into the future - is undeniable.
However, our capability must not be taken for granted. To maintain our strength, we need targeted ongoing Defence and Defence Industry investment focused on building a resilient and sovereign supply chain. Enabling North Queensland and Defence industry to scale-up or scale-down to meet Defence demands.
The Prime Minister, Hon Anthony Albanese, said in Parliament in February that his government wants to make sure that Australia’s assets are fit for purpose, and they deliver the greatest return on investment. Name a better return on investment than Australia’s largest Garrison city and the regional councils of Charters Towers, Hinchinbrook and the Burdekin which add to our capacity and capability.
In July to August this year, we will host Talisman Sabre in our region with over 30,000 allied military personnel from nations including the US, UK, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Germany and the Pacific. The eyes of the world will again be on us.
Townsville Enterprise looks forward to the outcomes of the Federal Government’s Houston Smith Defence Strategic Review this month and future budget allocations for the growth of Defence and Defence Industry in our region.
