PM in town to spruik $1 billion defence deal

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit Ipswich on Tuesday to spruik the biggest defence deal in Australian history.

• Albo: Deal makes us richer, safer

A deal to build more than 100 hi-tech armoured vehicles in Queensland will elevate the state to the forefront of the global defence industry and support 600 direct jobs, Anthony Albanese has declared.

The Prime Minister will on Tuesday morning visit Rheinmetall’s centre of excellence in Ipswich to spruik the $1 billion deal to supply highly advanced military vehicles to Germany, which he said was the largest export defence agreement in Australian history.

Manufacturing the Boxer vehicles will also boost Australia’s sovereign military capability while strengthening the country’s security partnership with a European power, he said in an opinion piece exclusively published by The Courier-Mail.

“Export opportunities like this are a win-win,” Mr Albanese said.

“Hardworking Australians have secure and stable jobs while producing advanced capability for our allies and partners around the world.”

Mr Albanese said the industry supports more than 100,000 jobs across the nation but insisted defence manufacturing transcended economic opportunities.

“Sovereignty and safety at home and security abroad is a core priority,” he said.

“A strong local defence industry is a key pillar of Australia’s national security because it ensures we can build the equipment and platforms our ADF soldiers, sailors and aircrews need to defend the country.”

Mr Albanese’s visit to the state comes as the government desperately hopes to shore up support from voters in its five Queensland-held seats as a federal election looms.

It also comes just two weeks after the state Labor government suffered a brutal by-election defeat in the party’s heartland seat of Ipswich West.