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October 20, 2026
Defence Minister Richard Marles has been accused of rushing the Army out of Sydney’s historic Victoria Barracks before opposition to the proposed sale grows further.
The Defence Department has not confirmed an exact departure date or whether the move will involve all personnel or only senior officers.
Instead, it told News24.com.au that planning continued to support relocations beginning in the final quarter of 2026.
Shadow defence minister James Paterson warned a fast-tracked eviction would create unnecessary disruption for Australian Defence Force personnel and their families, amid reports the government wants everyone off the site before Christmas.
“If Richard Marles is planning to secretly fast-track the eviction of ADF personnel from the historic Victoria Barracks Sydney right before Christmas, he should consider the unnecessary disruption and uncertainty this will inflict on our dedicated men and women in uniform, and their families," he told News24.com.au.
"They are just trying to do their jobs. Federal Labor is desperately accelerating the timeline for this sell off for purely political purposes.
"They know that the more Australians hear about their short-sighted plan, the louder and wider the opposition will become.”
The allegations follow reports the government has set an early December deadline for the mass departure, with sources telling The Daily Telegraph that Army chief Lieutenant General Susan Coyle visited Sydney last Friday and may have delivered new instructions to barracks commanders.
One source told the newspaper it was unclear whether all Army personnel knew about the alleged change or whether it had only been communicated to senior officers.
The reported timeline would mark a further shift in the government’s plans.
An earlier Army planning order stated relocations were to be completed by the end of 2026, but Defence later said that order had been rescinded and no final decisions had been made about future basing.
In response to questions about the latest reports, a defence spokesperson only told News24.com.au that planning continues to support relocations commencing from Quarter 4, 2026.
The department referred further questions to comments Mr Marles made last month, when he said the government wanted Defence to leave the site within two years of announcing its estate review.
“When we announced the Estate Audit and the government's response to it earlier in the year, what we said was that we wanted Defence out of all of these sites, including Victoria Barracks Sydney, over the course of the next two years,” he said.
“We're a fair way into that period of time... It is the government's expectation, it is my expectation, that we are seeing Defence get out of those sites as soon as possible.”
Mr Marles said the buildings would be protected by heritage laws and would not be demolished.
The government has identified 67 Defence sites for full or partial divestment, arguing it needs to reduce the cost of maintaining properties and redirect resources towards military priorities.
The programme is expected to unlock up to $1.8 billion.
But the planned sale of Victoria Barracks has drawn opposition from prominent figures across politics and the military.
Former prime ministers Tony Abbott and Paul Keating, former chief of the Defence Force Sir Peter Cosgrove, NSW Premier Chris Minns and federal and state MPs have all voiced concerns about the proposed disposal.
Sir Peter has rejected Mr Marles’ description of the barracks as little more than an expensive wine cellar, calling the comparison “the most stupid thing I’ve ever heard”.
A rally opposing the sale is also planned outside the barracks, as campaigners seek to pressure the government to reconsider.