Victoria sets sights on job boom on back of US President Donald Trump’s military revolution
DONALD Trump’s $70 billion promise to “rebuild the depleted” United States military could provide a major boost to Victoria’s economy.
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DONALD Trump’s $70 billion promise to “rebuild the depleted” United States military could provide a major boost to Victoria’s economy.
Six Melbourne-based companies are lobbying for lucrative US contracts this week in an attempt to grab a slice of the record increase to Pentagon spending.
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Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne will travel to North America this week to meet senior US defence officials and senior members of the US Congress to talk up Australia’s manufacturing credentials.
The defence industry contributes up to $8 billion to Victoria’s economy and includes more than 300 businesses, employing more than 7000 people.
Moorabbin-based company Marand and its supply chain is already tipped to generate about $1 billion in revenue from its role in the Joint Strike Fighter program.
It is helping to produce up to 722 sets of vertical tails for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, which will be fitted to planes for the US fleet as well as partner nations.
Among other companies hoping to land contracts is Port Melbourne’s Sentient Vision, which impressed senior representatives from the Royal Navy and British government with its Visual Detection and Ranging (ViDAR) technology.
The technology autonomously detects small objects on the surface of the ocean over wide areas of coverage.
Also in the mix is Integra Packaging in Beaumaris, which focuses on timber crates, ply boxes, anti-corrosive shrink wrap and reusable packaging. It has over 500 clients in the defence, logistics and aerospace sectors.
Victorian and federal government policy has been pushing advanced manufacturers away from automotive parts toward the lucrative defence industry market following the demise of car manufacturing.
The federal government is now embarking on its largest ever renewal and investment into defence capability by investing $195 billion to its local defence capability across the decade.
Mr Pyne, who will deliver the keynote address at the G’Day USA: US-Australia Dialogue on Defence Industries event on Thursday, told the Herald Sun it was an important part in increasing its defence exports and growing high-end, advanced manufacturing.
“This will be an excellent foundation for us to growth our exports in defence industry, with close allies such as the United States a prime focus of local Australian companies,” Mr Pyne said
“We already have the beginnings of an export market to the US. For example, Austal, an Australian company, has two major contracts with the US Navy.”
Before heading to Washington, Mr Pyne will meet with Canadian government officials in Ottawa to discuss Australia’s Future Frigate program and the Canadian surface combatant program.
He is also planning to meet with senior Pentagon officials, including Defence Secretary James Mattis.
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