Press Releases

Blair Boyer MP Minister for Education, Training and Skills South Australian defence industry leaders will join forces at the University of South Australia today to welcome the first cohort of software engineering students who are beginning an Australian-first degree apprenticeship. Announced by the Malinauskas Labor Government in November, following the formal declaration by the SA Skills Commission of the Bachelor of Software Engineering (Honours) as a trade under the South Australian Skills Act 2008, the degree apprenticeship will support the growing defence sector, ahead of the construction of nuclear-powered AUKUS submarines. This is the first time in Australia that apprentices ...

Susan Close MP Acting Premier Minister for Workforce and Population Strategy Stephen Mullighan MP Minister for Defence and Space Industries Blair Boyer MP Minister for Education, Training and Skills Students at The Heights Technical College will be looking to the skies through an aero skills specialisation – one of the key pathways announced today for the upcoming technical college. Aero skills is the first of the specialisations and a key qualification to enable students to work in the defence sector. The specialised skills and knowledge will allow graduates to maintain aircraft to keep planes flying safely. An important component of ...

Stephen Mullighan MP Treasurer Minister for Defence and Space Industries The State Government’s key defence agency, Defence SA, has a new Chief Executive as the biggest ramp up of defence work in our state’s history gets under way. Leading defence industry expert Matt Opie started his new role this week as the state embarks on the delivery of major new ship-building programs at Osborne. The shipyard will deliver the construction of Hunter Class Frigates, AUKUS nuclear powered submarines, upgrades to the current Air Warfare Destroyers, as well as the sustainment and life extension of the Collins class submarines. Together, these ...

Peter Malinauskas MP Premier Her Excellency Vicki Treadell CMG, MVO British High Commissioner to Australia The United Kingdom and South Australian Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to forge closer ties in areas of mutual interest, including defence and green hydrogen. UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Lord David Cameron and South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas signed the agreement in Adelaide today on the sidelines of the AUKMIN meeting. The MoU will see both jurisdictions work together to forge closer co-operation in key areas of mutual interest including: Defence industries, workforce development and skills capability ...

Peter Malinauskas MP Premier The Malinauskas Labor Government welcomes the selection of Adelaide-based shipbuilders ASC Pty Ltd and BAE Systems to build Australia’s SSN-AUKUS submarines at Osborne. The Federal Government has entered into a collaborative arrangement between the two world-leading companies, who will eventually form a Joint Venture to lead Australia’s sovereign building program for nuclear powered, conventionally armed submarines. The announcement will be confirmed today in Adelaide ahead of high level AUKMIN talks between the United Kingdom Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron, and their Australian counterparts, Richard Marles and Senator Penny Wong. ASC has ...

Susan Close MP Deputy Premier Minister for Defence and Space Industries One of South Australia’s leading defence industry experts, Matt Opie, has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of Defence SA. Mr Opie replaces outgoing CE Richard Price who resigned in December 2023. An Australian Defence Force Academy and Royal Military College Duntroon graduate, Mr Opie has held senior defence positions across government, industry and academia over the course of his 30-year career. He served as an Officer in the Royal Australian Corps of Signals both in Australia and the Middle East. Since then, he has worked on defence ...

Peter Malinauskas MP Premier Susan Close MP Deputy Premier Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Minister for Defence and Space Industries Long term continuous naval shipbuilding in Adelaide has been secured for decades to come with the Federal Government confirming it will proceed with the construction of Hunter class frigates and a replacement vessel for the Navy’s Hobart class destroyers at Osborne. Construction on the first Hunter class frigate will begin this year, with the Albanese Government committing funding to a program which will see the final Hunter frigate delivered to the Navy by 2043. The Hunter class will be ...

Susan Close MP Acting Premier Minister for Defence and Space Industries In a huge vote of confidence in South Australia, the Commonwealth Government has agreed to provide more than 1000 additional STEM-focused university places in SA from next year to support the state’s endeavours in building nuclear-powered, conventionally armed submarines. The Commonwealth’s commitment will see South Australia receive more than a quarter of the 4001 new additional STEM places announced nationwide. The 1030 new places in SA represents an increase of 230 on the commitment first secured by the South Australian Government in a Cooperation Agreement with the Commonwealth in ...

Peter Malinauskas MP Premier Susan Close MP Deputy Premier Minister for Defence and Space Industries The South Australian Government is partnering with the United States’ largest shipbuilder HII to accelerate the development of our state’s defence industry workforce, skills, and supply chain. Through its newly formed entity in Australia, HII Nuclear Australia Pty Ltd, HII has today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the South Australian Government. Premier Peter Malinauskas and Deputy Premier Susan Close met with President of HII Nuclear Australia Michael Lempke at an industry briefing in Adelaide, where the US shipbuilder shared opportunities with more than 100 representatives from ...

The Hon Richard Marles MP Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Defence The Hon Peter Malinauskas MP Premier of South Australia The Hon Brendan O'Connor MP Minister for Skills and Training The Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP, and Premier of South Australia, the Hon Peter Malinauskas MP today released the South Australian Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Report and Action Plan, delivering a detailed strategy to grow and sustain South Australia’s defence industry workforce for the future. Through the South Australian Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Taskforce, the Commonwealth and South Australian Governments have ...