Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence - Toowoomba, QLD — hearing of 1 September 2026: transcript & video · Polyfact

Free trial Learn more

Australia en

Language

Videos

Australia en

Language

Learn more Log in Free trial

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence - Toowoomba, QLD

1 September 2026

Speaker dots

Speakers in the chapter
Colour: political group
Grey: no group

Tap or click a chapter's dots to see names and groups.

Contents updated on 1 Sept 2026

The Chair formally opens the Toowoomba public hearing on the Defence Annual Report 2024–25, sets broadcast and procedural parameters, and records committee member introductions before calling local witnesses.

Layout

Layout Balanced Video, transcript and chat in equal parts Video Larger player Reading Wider transcript

Legend

Transcript markers

text Sentence being played
text Search result
text Intervention cited by the link you opened

Click a sentence to play the video from that moment. Select text to quote it with the speaker, timestamp and link.

More options

Official source

Offset

Transcript offset

0s

Text size

Export

Select segments to export (Word)

0 segments selected

Opening of Toowoomba defence hearing

22:42

Opening formalities and introductions

22:42

Toowoomba regional capacity and cadet facilities

25:20

Toowoomba Chamber — regional defence potential

25:20

Chamber: visibility of Defence needs and aerospace growth

28:20

Housing constraints on defence-related growth

33:34

Training, research and manufacturing capabilities

35:49

Regional growth drivers and Milne Bay cadet facility

39:06

Wellcamp defence precinct and autonomous systems

43:51

Wagner Corporation — Wellcamp defence precinct

43:51

Boeing MQ‑28 footprint and supplier attraction

46:39

SME access to Boeing supply chain and communication gaps

49:51

Workforce, housing and precinct integration challenges

52:17

Long-term vision and sovereign aviation capabilities

57:26

Regulatory status and runway capacity at Wellcamp

59:08

Social licence, community impacts and skills pipeline

01:01:08

Committee focus areas and autonomous systems context

01:07:59

Defence strategy, posture and northern capabilities

01:25:10

Defence panel introductions and opening statement

01:25:10

National Defence Strategy and biennial cycle

01:32:47

Orientation to the north and force posture logic

01:35:03

MQ‑28 Ghost Bat program and Wellcamp role

01:39:44

Five Eyes cooperation and joint uncrewed concepts

01:42:05

Borneo Barracks and land electronic warfare

01:45:45

Procurement transparency and industry integration concerns

01:51:02

Detailed Q&A on Borneo, MQ‑28 exports and sovereign industry

01:52:35

Borneo’s posture role and EW workforce pressures

01:52:35

Export potential for MQ‑28 and ADF export framework

01:57:49

Autonomous systems and evolving ADF workforce needs

02:00:49

Cadet facilities, Milne Bay divestment and EW careers

02:08:58

Sovereign industry, ‘cheap vs high-tech’ systems mix

02:12:16

Borneo’s day‑to‑day EW role revisited

02:18:07

Defence industry grants, exports and SDIP focus

02:21:04

Progress on sovereign priorities and role of primes

02:27:03

ADF workforce values and formal close

02:29:11

ADF values, aptitude, diversity and career pathways

02:29:11

Questions on notice and formal close of hearing

02:35:30

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence - Toowoomba, QLD

1 September 2026

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence Tue, 1 Sept 2026 Australian Parliament

22:42 - 23:33

Speaker 1

I'll open this public hearing of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence for the inquiry into the annual report of the Department of Defence 2024 to 2025. I'd like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands of which we meet today and pay my respects to their ancestors and elders past, present and emerging, and I extend this respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their cultural and spiritual connections to Australia's lands and waters. In accordance with the committee resolution of the 12th of May 2023, this hearing will be broadcast on the Parliament's website and the proof and official transcripts of the proceedings will be published on the inquiry website.

I remind members of the media of the need to fairly and accurately report the proceedings of the committee. I invite members of the committee to introduce yourselves. We might start with you, Miss Whitaker.

23:33 - 23:38

Speaker 6

Thank you. My name's Ellie Whitaker and I am a senator from Western Australia.

23:38 - 23:42

Speaker 5

I'm Deborah O'Neill, I'm a senator from New South Wales, chair of the committee.

The rest of the transcript is for Pro customers

Unlock the full transcript, chat, and every analysis feature with Polyfact Pro.

The video itself stays free to watch, in full, no account needed.

Start a free trial

Australian Parliament

Read the full session, transcribed live

One free trial opens the sessions transcribed word for word, with AI summaries and chat, the biographies of your parliament's members, alerts, and your questions to Claude or ChatGPT.

Live transcript, every speaker identified
The biography of every member of your parliament, with its assistant
Alerts on your keywords, and your questions to Claude or ChatGPT

Every video is free to watch, live and on replay, no account needed.

14-day free trial · cancel anytime

Free trial Learn more

Already have an account? Log in

Australian Parliament

Read the full session, transcribed live

One free trial opens the sessions transcribed word for word, with AI summaries and chat, the biographies of your parliament's members, alerts, and your questions to Claude or ChatGPT.

Live transcript, every speaker identified
The biography of every member of your parliament, with its assistant
Alerts on your keywords, and your questions to Claude or ChatGPT

Every video is free to watch, live and on replay, no account needed.

14-day free trial · cancel anytime

Free trial Learn more

Already have an account? Log in

Keyboard shortcuts

Playback

Play / pause: Space
Back / forward 15 s: ←→
Back / forward 10 s: JL
Full screen: F

Chapters and transcript

Previous / next chapter: PN
Search the transcript: /
Turn follow on / off: S
Copy the current sentence as a quote: C
Show this help: ?

Single-key shortcuts J, L, N, P, C, S, / and ?. Turn them off if you use voice control or assistive tech that types letters.

Inactive while a text field, a button or the chat has focus.