Defence Jobs Queensland

The Queensland Government established Defence Jobs Queensland to help create a smart, connected and efficient defence sector within the state.

Defence Jobs Queensland:

• supports national and international prime contractors to find defence capabilities
• helps companies working or wishing to work in defence to up-skill and make connections with defence contractors and suppliers
• assists the Australian Defence Force to expand its presence in Queensland.

Queensland has a range of capabilities, projects and facilities across a number of focus areas, which Defence Jobs Queensland promotes and develops.

Recent achievements

• $150M allocated to support the development of a Common User Facility as part of the expanded Cairns Marine Precinct, with a further $180 million secured  from the Australian Government
• 24 businesses from Queensland's defence, aerospace and space industries shared in more than $420,000 to achieve industry certifications through round three of the Defence and Aerospace Industry Development Fund
• In 2022-2023, the Defence Industry Hubs hosted 30 defence/aerospace capability workshops with 515 participants, and 6 supply-chain events across 6 Queensland locations with 438 participants (including online)
• Hosted Land Forces 2022 Exposition in Brisbane with about 20,000 attendances and 810 companies drawn from 25 nations. The Queensland Government stand hosted 32 industry partners.
• Promoted Queensland’s capabilities at 6 other events:
  • IndoPacific Maritime Exposition 2022
  • Queensland Defence Futures Forum
  • RotorTech 2021 and 2022
  • World of Drones & Robotics Congress ’21 and 2022
• Released the Queensland Defence, Maritime, Aerospace and Space Industry Skills Plan

Queensland defence industries roadmap

The Queensland Defence Industries 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan Edition 2 outlines Queensland's strengths, challenges and actions to grow this thriving sector. It builds on the momentum from previous achievements and outlines our vision that by 2028 Queensland will be Australia’s front line for defence industry by increasing the revenue contribution to the Queensland economy to $7 billion. This will include creating a 10,000-strong, highly skilled workforce that is renowned for its agility, innovation and depth of capability in supporting the Australian Defence Force and its allies.

Air

Queensland has a strong history in the aviation and aerospace industries with companies and facilities supporting a range of rotary and fixed-wing aircraft and the development of advanced uncrewed systems.

The Queensland Government has worked hard to develop aviation and aerospace capability in the state and continues to support events such as the Avalon Airshow and RotorTech and the MRO Australasia and Asia Pacific trade shows to showcase Queensland industry capability.

Land

Queensland companies have expertise in the manufacture, modification, maintenance, repair, sustainment and overhaul of a wide range of vehicles. We also manufacture technologically superior communication systems in the state and develop force protection, combat training systems and composite components.

A testament of Queensland's land defence, heavy vehicle and advanced manufacturing capabilities is Rheinmetall Defence Australia's selection of Queensland as the location for its Australia-New Zealand headquarters and military vehicle centre of excellence to deliver the LAND 400 Phase 2 contract to supply Australia's new armoured vehicles.

Sea

Queensland has the largest slipway in northern Australia, the capacity to lift vessels up to 1120 tonnes and slip vessels up to 3000 tonnes, and our companies can refit and repair a range of defence, commercial and recreational vessels and provide through-life support.

We have further capabilities in communication and control systems, fibre composites manufacture, and design and engineering support.

The Queensland Government has been a longstanding advocate of the marine industry and continues to support events such as the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, the Australian Superyacht and Marine Export industry conference (ASMEX) and Pacific maritime conferences.

Innovation

Queensland organisations conduct world-class research in hypersonics, surveillance technologies, artificial intelligence, robotics and uncrewed systems. We also have capability in microelectronics and microwave, radio frequency communications, geospatial and simulation technologies, and have autoclaves supporting fibre composite development.

Services

A number of programs have been established to help build Australia's defence industry. Queensland's defence industry hubs in Townsville and Ipswich help businesses become ‘defence ready’ and access state, national and global defence supply chain opportunities.

Visit the Defence Jobs Queensland website for more information.