An analysis of AusTender, the federal government’s contract tendering website, reveals that the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) delivered 76 grants worth $3.7 million to manufacturing and technology companies associated with the defence industry to either attend or support the 2021 Land Forces Conference.
While most of these contracts went to Australian companies, some went to subsidiaries of foreign multinational weapons makers such as SAAB and Boeing.
In 2021, the company behind Land Forces ACNC was the recipient of $2 million in government grants, or 20% of its revenue.
What do you think the arms trade is, a charity? Actually yes, that’s what it is
Callum Foote was a reporter for Michael West Media for four years.