The NSW Government is set to boost the state’s commitment to sovereign defence industry capabilities with the launch of a new $1.23 million Regional Defence Networks Program aimed at making it easier for local businesses to expand and supply to the defence and aerospace industry.
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Stuart Ayres said that the three-year program will focus on driving business growth across four key regions: Western Sydney, Shoalhaven/Illawarra, Riverina-Murray and the Hunter.
“We know that procurement requirements and entering the defence market requires a deep understanding of the industry, so we want to do all we can to help existing suppliers grow, and support new players to enter the sector,” Mr Ayres said.
“This program is about helping businesses understand the defence supply chain and identify that their offering has value and need. We want to turn local businesses from being ‘Defence Interested/Able’ to ‘Defence Ready’.”
Following a competitive procurement process, Investment NSW, working with Western Parkland City Authority and Regional NSW, has appointed four partner agencies to deliver the program:
- Ai Group for the Western Sydney region
- Shoalhaven City Council for the Shoalhaven/Illawarra region
- Hunter Defence Cooperative for the Hunter region
- NSW Business Chamber for the Riverina-Murray region.
“These organisations have a deep understanding of the defence ecosystem in their respective regions, which is critical to achieving the program’s objectives and in turn expand NSW’s defence and aerospace capabilities,” Mr Ayres said.
