On 19 and 21 November, the Defence subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will be holding public hearings in Darwin and Perth for its inquiry into the Department of Defence Annual Report 2023–24.
The subcommittee will be conducting site visits and meeting Defence personnel across Defence bases in Australia's north and west before holding public hearings in these locations. The subcommittee will hear from the Department of Defence, the Australian Submarine Agency and industry, and will focus on the following terms of reference:
- Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities;
- Defence Estate, Security and Resilience; and
- AUKUS.
The Chair of the Defence subcommittee, Senator Deborah O'Neill, said 'Australia's northern Defence bases are critical to our National Defence Strategy and it is essential that the subcommittee understands the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.'
'The subcommittee will also be focused on discussing the progress of AUKUS, the ongoing delivery of maritime capability to the Australian Defence Force, and the uplift of the maritime industrial base that underpins national defence.'
'The Defence assets stationed in the Northern Territory and Western Australia play a vital role in safeguarding the nation and the subcommittee is keen to support the Department of Defence in their mission of protecting Australia.'
Further information, including the full terms of reference, is available on the inquiry webpage.
Public hearing details
Date: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Time: 1.00pm–3.00pm (ACST)
Location: Nitmiluk Room, Legislative Assembly, Darwin
and
Date: Friday, 21 November 2025
Time: 9.00am–12.00pm (AWST)
Location: Committee Room 1, Legislative Assembly, Perth
The hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.
