As Northern Australia continues to establish itself as a key military and strategic region for the ADF and its partners, further investment is needed to support the multitude of major defence projects and the necessary infrastructure, maintenance and sustainment required for their operation. With defence industry contributing almost 7% of economic growth of the top end, the region continues to maximise the benefits as the ADF’s gateway to Asia and as a strategic base for long term defence collaboration and force posture.
The conference will be a high level policy-driven summit with a theme and focus on ‘Sustainable growth and disruptive innovation for the Northern Territory’ that will examine key issues including: Northern Australia’s relationship with Asia, collaboration with the indigenous defence and infrastructure industry, ramifications from the white paper – 12 months on, innovation of defence infrastructure, cyber-terrorism and Australia-American relations and collaboration.
2018 Speakers

The Hon Steven Ciobo MP
Minister for Defence Industry

The Honourable Michael Gunner MLA
Chief Minister, Northern Territory Government

BRIG Mark Brewer
Director-General US Force Posture Initiative, Department of Defence

Colonel John Papalitsas, CSC
Commander Regional Force Surveillance Group, Department of Defence

Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Sir Angus Houston
Former Chief of Air Force and Chief of the Defence Force

Air Vice-Marshal Margaret Staib AM, CSC (Ret'd)
Northern Territory Government Defence and National Security Advocate

Maj Gen Timothy Byers
F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), Past President, Society of American Military Engineers

Bob Baird AM
Department of Defence, Director Program Assurance, Capital Facilities and Infrastructure Branch

Prof John Blaxland
Head, Strategic and Defence Studies

The Hon David Johnston
Australian Defence Export Advocate

Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Mark Purcell

William Savarino
Partner, Cordatis LLP

Stephen Hayes
Defence Industry Workforce & Skills Facilitator, Department of Defence

Dr Malcolm Davis
Senior Analyst, Australian Strategic Policy Institute

Simon Maddocks
President and Vice-Chancellor, Charles Darwin University

Mark Potter
Managing Director Marine (Australia), Babcock Australasia

A/Professor Alexey Muraviev
Head of the Department of Social Studies and Security Studies, Curtin University

Kerryn Smith
CEO, AIDN NT

Sarah Brown
Department of Defence, Director, USFPI Infrastructure

Graham Read
Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright