The Australian government has signed a $158 million contract with Australian infrastructure services giant Ventia, creating 23 new jobs across the country and supporting the continuing employment of another 65 Australian workers. Ventia, which has partnered with the ADF for more than 30 years, will upgrade the current fleet of Australian Defence Force (ADF) engineering vehicles, providing the ADF with a further 291 vehicles. These will include cranes, excavators, bulldozers, loaders, telehandlers, forklifts, graders and rollers.
Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said the acquisition and sustainment of the Engineer Support Platforms would create significant work for Australian businesses. “I’m so proud of the positive impacts that our $270 billion investment in Australia’s defence capability is bringing to Australian industry,” Price said. “This contract is a clear example of the enormous benefits flowing through to small and medium businesses from our investments. Australian industry will contribute to the project management, systems engineering, modification, technical documentation, logistics and training elements of the project. Local networks and distributors will also be used for the supply of the vehicles.”
Price said the contract would help standardise, rationalise and modernise the ADF’s current Engineer Support Platforms fleet and provide critical force enabling functions to the ADF. “The vehicles will be used for a range of projects, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and to support amphibious operations,” Price said. “This includes construction, demolition, development of protective earthworks, route development and maintenance, airfield and port construction and repair, port operations and supply and distribution.”
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