Growing Australia’s Indigenous defence capability
Saab Australia has signed an agreement with the Indigenous Defence Consortium (IDC), led by AFL legend Adam Goodes, to connect Indigenous owned businesses with the defence sector, promoting employment, business and learning opportunities.
Signed last week by Saab Australia Managing Director, Dean Rosenfield and IDC Chief Executive Officer, Adam Goodes, the agreement aims to create stronger indigenous engagement in future Saab Australia programs. Nationally the IDC has a pool of over 50 Indigenous certified businesses from which Saab Australia could draw from.
“It has the scope to bring benefits not only to Aboriginal ¬owned or operated businesses, but also to budding entrepreneurs and to young people with a dream to use their creativity and capacities in sciences, engineering, maths and other relevant fields, to work in the defence industry,” said Mr Goodes.
Over the past thirty years, Saab Australia has helped build Australia’s sovereign defence capabilities and now employs over 350 Australians.
“We have a clear policy to use local suppliers and subcontractors to deliver products and services to our customers where possible and to keep growing Australian industry capability”, said Mr Rosenfield.
"We are really pleased to have signed this agreement which welcomes Indigenous Australian talent and businesses into that mix".