AFP to Investigate Submarine Report Leak
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) will investigate the leak of classified documents about the timeframe for building Australia's new fleet of submarines. The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ordered the investigation. A report in The Australian newspaper has referenced "several sections of the draft white paper" that was produced under former prime minister Tony Abbott and former defence minister Kevin Andrews. The papers show that under former Prime Minister Tony Abbott's reign, the plan was to bring new 12 submarines into service by the mid-2020s. The story published information from a classified draft of the defence white paper written while Abbott was PM and while Kevin Andrews was defence minister.
China Gets Port of Darwin
The Northern Territory (NT) Government in Australia announced the successful bidder for the Port of Darwin – Landbridge Group, based in the People’s Republic of China. Chinese privately owned energy and infrastructure conglomerate Landbridge Group has won a $A506 million bid to run Australia's Port of Darwin for 99 years, NT's Chief Minister Adam Giles announced. Under the terms of the agreement, the Northern Territory will lease the Darwin Port land and facilities of East Arm Wharf, including the Darwin Marine Supply Base, and Fort Hill Wharf to Landbridge Group for 99 years. The three arms of the defence force, the Australian Signals Directorate, the Defence Security Agency and Defence's strategic policy division were all consulted about the 99-year lease to the Landbridge Group.
Australian Defence Unveils Indigenous Artwork
Defence today unveiled an Indigenous painting at its Science and Technology headquarters in Canberra as a mark of respect for cultural diversity within the organisation. The artwork, Song Cycle of the Seven Sisters, painted by award-winning Indigenous artist Anthony Walker, was unveiled by the Secretary for Defence, Dennis Richardson, Chief Defence Scientist Dr Alex Zelinsky, and Elder of the Ngunnawal people, Aunty Agnes Shea. The artwork depicts Gurreng Gurreng people singing up to the Seven Sisters at a turtle nesting site in Mon Repos, Bundaberg. The Seven Sisters (also known as The Pleiades star constellation) safely guide turtles into shore to lay their eggs – ensuring continued abundance of turtles in the area.
US Secretary of the Navy Concludes Official Australia Visit
Traveling to both Brisbane and the Australian capital Canberra, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus met with U.S. and Australian government and military officials to reinforce the alliance between the two countries. Mabus' visit represents a continuation of the Department of the Navy's focus on building partnerships designed to help distribute the burden of securing the global maritime domain based on alliances, shared values and mutual trust. "The United States and Australia have an historic and extensive relationship…
Austal Welcomes Defence Delegation
Austal receives a high profile defence delegation, including the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, at its Western Australian facility. The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, the UK Secretary of State for Defence, was accompanied by Australia’s Minister for Defence, the Hon Stephen Smith, MP; Australia’s Chief of Defence Force, General David Hurley, AC, DSC; Australia’s Defence Secretary, Mr Dennis Richardson, AO and other defence personnel from both the United Kingdom and Australia.
