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International cooperation

Northern Territory Positions Itself as Key Player in Defence Industry with Indo Pacific 2025 Delegation

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Northern Territory Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Lia Finocchiaro, has highlighted the Territory's importance in Australia's defence and regional security network, stating that it is crucial for rebuilding the economy, creating jobs, and attracting new investment. A 26-member delegation, led by DefenceNT, will attend the Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition 2025 in Sydney next week to showcase the Territory's defence industry capability and investment opportunities. The event will take place from 4-6 November at the International Convention Centre Sydney.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Northern Territory is positioning itself as a key player in the defence industry, with a 26-member delegation attending the Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition 2025 in Sydney.
  • The Territory is highlighted as Australia's fastest-growing economy for two consecutive quarters, with a growth rate of 5.4% over the year, according to the CommSec State of the States Report (October 2025).
  • The Territory's Rebuilding the Economy Strategy sets a clear target to deliver for Australia, with a focus on defence and regional security.
  • The Northern Territory delegation includes 26 local businesses and organisations across engineering, construction, maritime technology, and training, all ready to connect with key Defence personnel, Allied partners, and industry leaders.
  • The Commonwealth Government's $765 billion defence investment pipeline over the next decade presents major opportunities for the Northern Territory, including $14-18 billion to upgrade and expand military bases across northern Australia, $5-7 billion for Army coastal vessel facilities and supporting infrastructure, and $10-15 billion for logistics, storage, and transport networks essential to national operations.
  • Eileen Breen, Business Development Manager at NTEX, noted that the company's participation in Indo Pacific 2025 reflects its commitment to strengthening collaboration across Defence and industry through responsible decommissioning, recycling, and remediation.
  • The goal of the NTEX Marine Resource Recovery Hub is to contribute to a more resilient northern sustainment network that transforms end-of-life assets into new opportunities for growth, readiness, and regional capability.

Statistics:

  • The Northern Territory has risen from eighth to fourth place nationally in the CommSec State of the States Report (October 2025), highlighting a shift in the Territory's economic momentum.
  • The Territory's economy has grown by 5.4% over the year, making it the fastest-growing economy in Australia for two consecutive quarters.
  • The Commonwealth Government's $765 billion defence investment pipeline over the next decade includes:

+ $14-18 billion for military bases across northern Australia.

+ $5-7 billion for Army coastal vessel facilities and supporting infrastructure.

+ $10-15 billion for logistics, storage, and transport networks essential to national operations.

Sources:

  • "Darwin: Northern Territory Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage has issued the following news release" [Source: Darwin Government]
  • CommSec State of the States Report (October 2025) [Source: CommSec]
  • Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition 2025 [Source: Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition]

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