The Albanese Government says Australia is ‘not a central player’ in Gaza, but current weapons negotiations tell us they hope to be
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Australia says it is ‘not responsible’ and ‘not a central player’ in the situation in Gaza while starting negotiations on how it can contribute to Israel-linked weapons giant, Lockheed Martin.
On the same day that Australia’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministers have lamented Israel’s mass-starvation in Gaza, the Albanese Government has heralded the test firing of a Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) in Australia for the first time, also revealing that it expects to start negotiations “later this year on options for future domestic manufacturing and maintenance of the missiles in Australia”.
Australia is a full cooperative partner with the US Military and weapons giant Lockheed Martin, which are producing the missiles and are also critical suppliers of Israel’s military.
On the same day, when pressed about what Australia will do in relation to Israel’s crimes in Gaza, Minister Penny Wong said, “We know Australia is not a central player. So, what do we do? We combine with others, such as the UK in our calls and our statements.” Defence Minister Richard Marles echoed these comments.
The test firing was attended by the Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy and United States Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll at the Mount Bundey Training area in the Northern Territory. Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy highlighted it was the first time Australian Army has fired a PrSM from a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), also produced by Lockheed Martin.
Conroy said that Australia and the United States, as co-development partners, will continue to develop missiles to maintain its “world leading military advantage”. Future missile upgrades will expand this capability to include a greater range of over 1000 kilometres, improved sensors and novel warheads.
This follows a “landmark” Memorandum of Understanding between Australia and the United States in June to join the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) program as a full cooperative partner with Lockheed Martin. The MoU not only guarantees the Australian Defence Force ‘access’ to the missile but also opens opportunities for Australian industry to contribute components and sub-components.
Allegations against missile program lead, Lockheed Martin
This month, in a report to the Human Rights Council, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese criticised dozens of companies linked to atrocities, including Lockheed Martin. It said:
Lockheed Martin F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, pivotal to the Israeli air force, have significant carrying and fire capacity, including the 2000lb GBU-31 JDAM bombs and, for F-35s, over 18,000lb of bombs at a time. Post-October 2023, F-35s and F-16s have been integral to equipping Israel with the unprecedented aerial power to drop an estimated 85,000 tons of bombs, kill and injure more than 179,411 Palestinians and obliterate Gaza.
In June 2024, a group of 30 UN experts issued a statement urging countries to apply maximum pressure on arms manufacturers and investors to cease transfers of weapons, parts, and components to Israel. The experts specifically named companies like Lockheed Martin, RTX, Boeing, Bae Systems, Northrop Grumman, and others in their call for an immediate halt to these transfers.
Conflict of interest clouding decision to impose sanctions
The Australian media has yet to question whether the Government can impartially impose arms embargoes or sanctions on Israel, given its extensive ties with companies supplying Israel. In the same press conference where he was asked what more Australia could do, the Defence Minister emphasised BAE Systems' role as a strategic partner in submarine construction in Adelaide. BAE Systems appears on the UN warning list for supplying arms to Israel.
Responsibility denied
Last week, Labor quietly told media “Australia is not responsible for what is happening in the Middle East.” But just a year ago, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found Israel’s occupation unlawful — and confirmed that third states like Australia have a binding legal duty not to aid it. The Albanese Government has yet to acknowledge this responsibility, implement any review, or set red lines. States that fail to comply can be held accountable at the ICJ.
Sources
https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/transcripts/2025-07-25/press-conference-sydney
https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/transcripts/2025-07-25/radio-interview-abc-melbourne
https://www.crikey.com.au/2025/07/24/labor-justifies-gaza-silence-to-media/
'Bae Systems' .... 👀