The nation's military operations nerve centre at Bungendore has been given final government approval for a $700 million upgrade to accommodate an additional 1400 personnel.
The Coalition has already promised to increase the Defence workforce by an additional 18,500 personnel to deal with Australia's rapidly deteriorating geopolitical and strategic environment, threats in cyber and space, as well as conducting humanitarian operations and disaster relief.
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The expansion of the General John Baker Complex, which houses the Headquarters Joint Operations Command, will deliver an extension to the main operations building, a new multi-agency collaboration facility and upgraded mess and fitness facilities.
The works are due to start next year and be completed by the end of 2025, unless parliament overrules the government decision that was made prior to the start of federal election caretaker period.
The command is situated in the highly marginal federal electorate of Eden-Monaro, held by Labor MP Kristy McBain.
Lieutenant General Greg Bilton, Chief of Joint Operations, did not wait on the government announcement, celebrating a ceremonial turning of the sod in January upon the commencement of preliminary works, such the creation of additional car parks and a solar farm.
Defence preempted the announcement saying the works would be undertaken through a public-private partnership with Praeco Pty Ltd - the same company which built the complex in 2006.
Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price said the Joint Operation Command investment would support the larger workforce needed to plan and conduct ADF operations in a rapidly deteriorating strategic environment.
"The first priority of our government is keep Australians safe and this $700 million investment is about ensuring we are doing that," Ms Price said.
The Joint Operations Command expansion project is expected to create 300 jobs during construction. Praeco has been contracted to sustain the site until 2036.
Ms Price said the project would be a massive win for local industry.
"It supports construction jobs and generates economic stimulus for the local Bungendore, Queanbeyan and Canberra economies."
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Dr Jerry Nockles, the Liberal candidate for Eden-Monaro, the announcement showed the government was taking seriously its commitment to developing investment and jobs in the region.
"The expansion of the Australian Defence Force's operational headquarters means jobs for local electricians, carpenters, builders, architects, painters and our high tech industries, among others," Dr Nockles said.
"These 300 jobs will have a multiplier effect for our local Bungendore, Queanbeyan, Palerang, Cooma and Yass economies, in addition to our region."
Liberal senator Jim Molan said the investment was an important element in strengthening Australia's national security, which would significantly enhance Defence's ability to deploy on a wide range of operations.
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"Given the evolution of our strategic environment, now more than ever, we must continue to strengthen our defence capability," he said.
"It will also cement Eden-Monaro as one of the most strategically important regions within Australia's defence system."
He said successive Labor governments had drastically "run our defences down" and Australia could not afford to do so again with the current strategic challenges.
Before the public announcement of the government's Defence workforce expansion, or Project REDSPICE expanding Australian Signals Directorate, announced in the March budget, the Chief of Joint Operations said in January the expansion of his headquarters was a "significant step-change" in the evolution of Defence's joint operations.
"The future of ADF joint operations requires a greater focus on speed, capacity, resilience and agility in order to meet the challenges of an ever-evolving operational and geo-strategic environment," Lieutenant General Bilton said.
The stage 2 announcement was held off to release as part of the Coalition's khaki election campaign, and comes as the Prime Minister and Defence Minister announced Defence would receive 29 new Apache helicopters and an additional 12 Romeo helicopters in an $8 billion commitment.
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The multi-billion dollar helicopter fleet expansion, like the Joint Operations Command expansion, has long been planned by Defence, but their announcements were held back until the caretaker period of the election campaign.
Fiona Phillips, the Labor MP for Gilmore, where the helicopters will call home, called that announcement pork barrelling two weeks out from the election.
"Once again, our fly-in fly-out Prime Minister doesn't really care about supporting our local defence fleet," Mrs Phillips said.
"If he did, he would have made this commitment a long time ago, because it's been a Project of Concern since 2011."
Harley Dennett
I'm the federal politics bureau chief for the Canberra Times, via a career that's taken me from rural Victoria to Washington DC. Telling the stories of my local LGBTI community brought me to journalism, where I've covered seven federal budgets, four national elections, Defence, public service and international governance.
I'm the federal politics bureau chief for the Canberra Times, via a career that's taken me from rural Victoria to Washington DC. Telling the stories of my local LGBTI community brought me to journalism, where I've covered seven federal budgets, four national elections, Defence, public service and international governance.
