16 News

The Australian Army has further expanded its fleet of High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, as the Albanese Government continues to strengthen Australia’s long‑range strike capability.

Just one year after taking delivery of its first tranche of HIMARS the Australian has received a second tranche of HIMARS units from the United States, significantly enhancing the capability of Army’s 10th Fires Brigade long-range fires regiment, based in Adelaide. This delivery was achieved two years ahead of schedule. 

The milestone follows the Albanese Government’s announcement in April of an additional investment in HIMARS and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) through the establishment of a second long-range fires regiment. This will significantly enhance the ADF’s ability to engage targets at ranges of up to 500kms, transforming to more than 1,000kms with future increments of PrSM.

Today’s announcement adds to the Australian Defence Force’s growing long-range strike capability, which at its peak will see up to 90 HIMARS units in service over the coming years across Army’s first and second long-range fires regiments within the 10th Fires Brigade. 

This capability was demonstrated on Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, where Australia successfully fired a PrSM two years ahead of schedule.

Earlier this year, the first Australian-manufactured Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) missile was also successfully test-fired from an Australian HIMARS, and last year Australia and the United States established a cooperative PrSM program, paving the way for future domestic production.

Through the 2026 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program, the Government is investing up to $37 billion to develop and enhance Defence’s long-range strike capabilities, and up to $36 billion over the decade to accelerate the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise.

As part of these investments, the Albanese Government is committed to developing a sovereign guided weapon manufacturing industry in Australia, strengthening our sovereign supply chain resilience and creating greater opportunities for Australian industry.

Missile production is already underway for the first time since the early 1970s at a new facility in South Australia, with a second factory set to open next year near Newcastle in New South Wales.

Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles:

“These highly mobile systems are an incredibly important platform and the delivery of these additional units represents a significant leap in capability for the Australian Army.

“Our investments in Australia’s long-range strike capabilities are about equipping the ADF with the equipment it needs to keep Australians safe.”

Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy:

“These new deliveries demonstrate our continued commitment to accelerate the acquisition of HIMARS, which are now on track to be fully operational four years ahead of schedule.

“The Albanese Government is investing up to $37 billion over the next decade on targeting and long-range strike capabilities for the Australian Defence Force.

“In addition, the Government is establishing a sovereign guided weapon manufacturing industry, manufacturing Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missiles here in Australia, with plans to expand this to include the co-production of the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM). 

“This will provide Australian Army HIMARS regiments access to Australian-manufactured munitions, strengthening our sovereign industrial capability and enhancing supply chain resilience.” 

Current or former Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel can now apply to have historical homosexual convictions extinguished from their service records.

Up until 1992, consensual homosexual activities could be prosecuted as service offences under Australian military discipline law.

While it has long been decriminalised, people still carry the burden of service convictions appearing on their service records for consensual same-sex activities that occurred before this change.

To address the ongoing harm caused by these historical convictions, the Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 (Cth) was recently amended to allow eligible individuals to apply to have convictions for consensual activity formally extinguished, meaning they are treated as if the conviction never happened.

This is a significant step towards recognising that these laws and policies were discriminatory and caused profound and lasting harm to many Defence people and their families.

Extinguishing these convictions will restore dignity and legal equality to affected individuals and their families.

The Defence discipline system is the final jurisdiction in Australia to allow for extinguishment of such convictions.

Any person who has a conviction of an historical homosexual service offence, their representative, or a person with a special interest in the conviction, can apply under the scheme. Family members of deceased veterans can also apply under this scheme on behalf of their loved ones.

Former Defence personnel who believe they were administratively separated due to a prevailing discriminatory Defence policy can seek a review of their administrative separation and have their record updated.

The Government has agreed to issue a formal apology acknowledging any harm experienced by LGBTIQA+ personnel and veterans as a result of historical discriminatory policies. The Government intends to deliver this apology later this year. 

To learn more or apply, visit: https://www.defence.gov.au/about/governance/military-justice-system 

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, the Hon Matt Keogh MP:

“The extinguishment of historical homosexual service convictions for current or former serving defence personnel is an important step in righting a historical wrong. This has been a long time coming.

“We have always been proud of those who serve our nation. 

“These changes will enable those impacted personnel to have their proud service accurately reflected in their official service records as well.

“These new laws are a restorative legal change to help lessen the detriment and stigma of former homophobic attitudes and practices reflected in such convictions.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong will today welcome Nepali Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal to Melbourne. 

The Ministers will discuss Nepal’s recovery and rebuilding following the devastating floods, ongoing efforts to seek information about missing Australians, and our broader bilateral relationship.

The Nepal-Australia relationship is underpinned by strong education, development and people-to-people links, with more than 200,000 people of Nepali heritage calling Australia home.

The Albanese Government will provide a further $15 million to support Nepal’s recovery from the floods and strengthen its resilience to future disasters.

The additional funding will help rebuild destroyed infrastructure, restore access to essential services, and strengthen early warning systems to reduce the risk and impact of future floods.

This assistance builds on the $11 million Australia has already provided to support immediate response efforts. This includes support for emergency humanitarian relief via Australian NGOs, the World Food Programme and other organisations working on the ground, as well as specialist drone support for Nepal’s search and rescue effort.

Australians have also responded with great generosity, donating more than $20 million since 26 August to appeals by the Emergency Action Alliance, the Red Cross and other major Australian NGOs.

Australian officials are continuing to work closely with authorities in Nepal and China to seek information about the 34 Australians who remain unaccounted for, and to support their families.

We know this is a tremendously difficult time for the families and loved ones of the Australians who remain unaccounted for.

Dedicated liaison officers from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Federal Police are in close contact with the families, providing regular updates and assistance. 

Australia will continue to support Nepal’s recovery, work with authorities to seek information about missing Australians, and stand with affected families and communities.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Fiji and Tuvalu from 5 to 7 October 2026 for the Pre-COP Leaders’ event.  

At COP30, Australia secured the role of COP31 President of Negotiations and agreement to deliver a Pacific-hosted Pre-COP, including a special Leaders’ event. Australia will co-host the event with Fiji and Tuvalu.

The Pacific Pre-COP will bring together more than 50 countries and thousands of decision makers, experts and advocates to advance climate action ahead of COP31 – the global forum accelerating the clean energy transition and action to reduce emissions.

The Pacific Pre-COP runs from 5 to 8 October in Nadi, Fiji, alongside a Leaders’ event in Tuvalu from 5 to 6 October to highlight climate change’s impacts on the island nation and how Tuvaluans are responding.

Pre-COP will lay the foundations for negotiations at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye in November 2026, elevating Pacific priorities within the annual climate conference.

This will be the Prime Minister’s fourth official visit to Fiji and first official visit to Tuvalu.

Prime Minister Albanese will be joined by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen and Special Envoy for Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Kate Thwaites.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles will be Acting Prime Minister until the Prime Minister’s return from overseas.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“Australia is proud to stand with our Pacific family and co-host these events with Fiji and Tuvalu, putting our region’s priorities on the world stage.

“This builds on the work we’ve been undertaking to boost stability, security and prosperity in the region – which is crucial to Australia’s national interest.

“Pre-COP in the Pacific will allow the world to hear directly from those on the front line of climate change and see the solutions that these nations are leading.”

The Greens have backed calls from the social services sector to save Ask Izzy, after the Albanese Government pulled the plug on the vital navigation service which helps connect thousands of Australians every year with housing, domestic violence, emergency relief and disability support services.

Labor cut support for Ask Izzy in May’s budget, with funding running out on June 30. Just $6 million over three years will help secure this service and ensure Ask Izzy will be there for people with timely connection to support.

Greens spokesperson on Social Services, Senator Penny Allman-Payne:

“Labor’s decision to wrench funding away from Ask Izzy is another baffling move from a government that seems hopelessly out of touch with just how bad things are for a growing number of Australians.

“At a time when more people than ever are in desperate need of support from community organisations and service providers, cutting funding to such a critical service seems especially cruel and utterly unnecessary.

“Under Prime Minister Albanese, Labor has rationed our aged care system to the point where older people are dying on waitlists; they’ve chosen to let jobseekers die from poverty at almost ten times the rate of people not on welfare payments; and they’re cutting NDIS supports from hundreds of thousands of disabled people.

“The only thing holding up Australia’s underfunded systems of care at the moment are unpaid carers, volunteers, friends and family who are pushed to the brink alongside the people they support. 

“The Albanese Government is extorting the goodwill of our communities because they’re too gutless to take on the billionaires and the big corporations and make them pay their fair share of tax.” 

Senator Jordon Steele-John, Australian Greens Spokesperson for Disability Rights, the NDIS, Health and Youth:

“Cutting funding for Ask Izzy is just so short-sighted. Millions of times a year, people use it to find the support services available in their local area.

“And right when the Government is changing the NDIS rules and making it harder for people to navigate the system, they’re taking away another way for people to find help.

“For young people, disabled people and people doing it tough, Ask Izzy can be a lifeline.

“We should be making it easier for people to get support, not pulling the rug out from under them.

“The government should reinstate their funding.”

The Greens (WA) are mounting calls for mandatory exclusion periods to stop former ministers, MPs and senior political staffers from taking on corporate board and lobbying roles directly after leaving office.

It comes in the wake of news that former WA Labor minister for defence industries Paul Papalia has been appointed a strategic advisor with defence contractor Duratec, the latest in a line of former ministers leaving office and entering roles they helped develop the laws for.

In April this year, while Mr Papalia was defence industries minister, Duratec was awarded a $281 million joint contract by the Commonwealth government to deliver infrastructure upgrades at HMAS Stirling in preparation for AUKUS.

Duratec was also awarded $97,000 from the State Government in 2021, also while Mr Papalia was defence industries minister.

The Greens (WA) are urging the WA Parliament to introduce a five-year exclusion period banning former government ministers, MPs and high-level staffers from taking corporate lobbying roles or board positions.

This week it was also reported that former WA Premier Mark McGowan has joined the board of the property developer Built after he was appointed to the board of Southern Cross media last month.

Both appointments come after he served in advisory roles in a number of resources companies, including BHP, after retiring from politics in 2023.

The Greens (WA) spokesperson for Open and Honest Government Tim Clifford MLC said it was clear there is a need for stronger oversight.

“How can we expect to serve the public when so many of them view their roles in office as a stepping stone to a higher paid position in the private sector?

“This is not the first time we have seen former MPs taking high level positions in the public sector only months after leaving politics, but it should be the last.

“It is a clear conflict of interest for the people who made the laws to then work from the companies they manage, and clearly this does not pass the pub test.

“We know the State Government is completely beholden to property developers and investors.

“We must act now to close the revolving door of politics compromising our democracy and eroding public trust in our institutions.”

Greens WA Peace and Nonviolence spokesperson Sophie McNeill said Mr Papalia’s new appointment was “scandalous” and a clear conflict of interest.

“How’s this revolving door? This is scandalous. Papalia’s new AUKUS job is proof of how this Labor government just works for their corporate mates.

“They’re just running a revolving door that lines their pockets.

“If we were reporting on this in another country it would be described as corruption, but here we don’t because this is technically legal? Does Labor think they will get away with this and the community won’t notice?

“First we had Woodside’s Georgia Tree running for Labor and now we have the former defence industries minister taking on this shiny new role with defence contractor Duratec.

“In the space of just 3 months, Papalia has gone from his job promoting the defence industry and AUKUS to now working for a company that has massive contracts for AUKUS. Papalia’s new role is the direct result from his corporate lobbying as WA’s Minister for AUKUS.

“This is a clear conflict of interest.

“Duratec is one of the only companies in Australia that’s got nuclear safety certification for the construction and management of Defence radioactive waste infrastructure.

“In April, when Papalia was the Defence Industries Minister, Duratec was awarded a $281 million Commonwealth contract for HMAS Stirling upgrades related to nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS.

“This is a scandal. How is this not corruption?

Three years ago today, Hamas terrorists invaded and attacked Israel. The terrorists from Gaza came not only equipped with guns and grenades, they also wore body cams and carried mobile phones to film their barbarous acts. They felt no guilt. They acted with glee. They weaponised rape. They tortured and mutilated children, women and men. They took some 250 people hostage. They brutally murdered some 1,200 innocent people.

October 7 was the greatest loss of Jewish life on a single day since the Holocaust. And it should not be forgotten that Hamas vowed to repeat their savagery many times over until Israel is annihilated.

On the third anniversary of Israel’s “9/11”, we remember those who were murdered, those who survived and are still living with the horrors of that day, those who endured the most unimaginable captivity, and those families who are still grieving the loss of loved ones.

In October 2025, soon after the final hostages were released, I visited Israel. I went to the site of the Nova music festival where young people were massacred. I visited kibbutzim where families and communities were butchered. I watched the shocking footage of Hamas’ sadistic crimes. And I spoke with survivors and heroes.

That profound experience reinforced to me another thing we must do on every anniversary of October 7. We must remember the facts and fight for the truth. Because even today, there are those who downplay, deny and even defend Hamas’ atrocities. There are those who seek to portray the victim, Israel, as the villain, and portray the villain, Hamas, as the victim. There are those who deceitfully accuse Israel of genocide, yet turn a blind eye to groups and regimes with real genocidal intent.

Such perversions of the truth and lack of moral clarity help to fuel antisemitism and make it permissible. The fight against antisemitism is therefore a fight for the truth – a fight that continues on our soil too. And that fight is also about acknowledging and combatting all sources of antisemitism, especially Islamist extremism.

On behalf of the Coalition, my prayers and abiding friendship are with the brave people of Israel, and with our Jewish community who are dear and valued Australians. Whether it’s in Israel, in Australia, or most recently, thousands of feet up in the air in a passenger jet, the Jewish people continue to be characterised by strength, stoicism and valour. We know you will prevail because you love life more than your enemies love death. And we are with you, always.