Australia Establishes Defence Delivery Agency as Executive Agency

The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, has established the Defence Delivery Agency as an Executive Agency under section 65 of the Public Service Act 1999, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council. The order, dated 3 September 2026 and registered in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 4 September 2026, allocates the name National Armaments Director to the head of the new agency and identifies the Minister for Defence as the responsible Minister. The order commences on 1 July 2027.

A new delivery body for Defence capability

The Defence Delivery Agency is created to deliver materiel acquisition, sustainment and disposal for air, land, maritime and space capabilities in line with the National Defence Strategy. Maritime capability explicitly excludes nuclear-powered submarines, which remain outside the agency’s delivery remit.

The agency is also tasked with providing independent advice to the responsible Minister, other Ministers in the Defence portfolio and the Department of Defence across the capability lifecycle, including at project entry to the Integrated Investment Program. That advice covers project delivery and optimal delivery options, cost and feasibility, implications for the defence industry, and other matters as required.

Functions and industry stewardship

Beyond acquisition and sustainment, the order specifies a broader set of functions for the new agency:

• Building an integrated and professional delivery workforce.
• Stewarding the domestic defence industry, including serving as the primary Defence portfolio point for Government engagement and international engagement to support industry opportunities.
• Providing policy and specialist advice and services, including cost estimation, in support of Defence capability.
• Undertaking other relevant tasks as the responsible Minister, or other Ministers in the Defence portfolio, may require from time to time.

The order was signed by Sam Mostyn AC as Governor-General and countersigned by command of Her Excellency by the Prime Minister, the Honourable Anthony Albanese.

Impact on procurement and industry

The establishment of the Defence Delivery Agency consolidates materiel delivery and industry stewardship under a single Executive Agency, giving the defence industry a primary point of engagement within the Defence portfolio. By embedding independent advice at project entry to the Integrated Investment Program, the agency is positioned to shape procurement decisions on cost, feasibility and delivery options before major commitments are made.

For defence suppliers and the wider procurement community, the new structure signals a more integrated and professional approach to capability delivery, with the agency commencing operations on 1 July 2027.

Source: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, Government Notices, 4 September 2026, p. n/a (official reference: C2026G00590).