The 2022 Hunter Defence Conference is set to be bigger and better than ever with the Conference being expanded from two to three days as well as new exhibition component to further facilitate networking. The event, running from August 31 through to September 2 at the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, provides an unmatched opportunity for established, new and emerging defence industries, business, advisers and investors to leverage Australia’s Defence thought leaders and converge on new markets and prospects for growth.

 

Sponsors and funding partners include the NSW Government, HunterNet, Business Hunter, RDA – Hunter, the University of Newcastle, Master Builders Newcastle, Astra Aerolab / Newcastle Airport, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, KPMG, Newcastle Office Interiors, Stott Engineering, Varley Group and Precinct 52.

 

Defence Industry Adviser and Hunter Defence Taskforce Chair, Tim Owen said that with the Federal Government having forecast an increase of $270 billion Defence spend nationally over the next decade and a key focus on sovereign capability, including from the Hunter region’s defence presence, there has never been better opportunity for Australian businesses in the defence sector.

 

“Defence and defence industries are facing unprecedented growth potential and Hunter Defence will be providing the platform to engage, connect and capitalise on this opportunity,” Mr Owen said.

 

The 2022 Hunter Defence Conference will focus on helping SMEs position their business and workforce to take advantage of increasing opportunities in the Defence sector announced recently by the Federal Government.

 

“This focus is central to the ambition of the Hunter Defence collaboration – building connections to achieve industrial growth,” said Mr Owen.

The Hunter Defence Conference is about letting the small to medium businesses sit and network with the big primes and key Capability Managers from within Defence and look at the Hunter region as the place to invest and grow their specialised and niche defence industry offerings – helping business capitalise on the economic advancement taking place in the Hunter.

 

Hunter Defence is planning keynote speeches by the Minister for Defence, the Minister for Defence Industry and the NSW Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade. Industry development updates will also be provided to conference delegates from Defence Primes and senior capability development staff from Army, Navy, Air Force, Space and Cyber agencies within Defence. The conference will also look critically on how, at a regional level, we upskill industry workforce to meet these increased opportunities.

 

“The 2022 Hunter Defence Conference will show current and potential contractors where the supply chain opportunities lie and how they can skill their workforce with the capabilities that Defence needs,” Mr Owen said.

 

Along with insights from and access to sector leadership in government an industry, this year’s Hunter Defence Conference will have an added advantage for attending delegates with a full conference exhibition across the three days at the Crowne Plaza.

 

At the time of this story the list of exhibitors included the following with numerous others in the process of being finalised:

• Applied Virtual Simulation

• Astra Aerolab / Newcastle Airport

• Biscit

• Custom Fluid Power

• Deco Innovation Centre

• Design & Industry Newcastle

• Fire Response

• Forge Advisory

• Goal Group

• IS Systems

• KPMG

• Mai-Wel

• NSW Government

• Nupress

• Roxtec Australia

• Stott Engineering

 

“Having a platform like the Hunter Defence Conference to actually touch, look and learn about innovation, industry advancement and sector initiatives in this region will help small to medium businesses focus in on their product development priorities and business growth through engagement with likeminded and tested industry colleagues,” Mr Owen said.

For further information on attending the 2022 Hunter Defence Conference and for the latest updates, including Conference sessions and exhibitors, please visit