Media Release | Appointment as Shadow Minister for Defence | 17 February 2026

SENATOR JAMES PATERSON
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
SENATOR FOR VICTORIA

MEDIA RELEASE

APPOINTMENT AS SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE

Tuesday, 17 February 2026

I am honoured to have been appointed Shadow Minister for Defence by Opposition Leader Angus Taylor. 

There is no more critical task of government than protecting our way of life. The men and women of the Australian Defence Force do that every day.

Australia faces the most dangerous strategic circumstances since World War II. The ADF deserves every support available to deter conflict, protect our interests and uphold our values.

Sadly, under Labor, they don’t have it. The Albanese government has failed to heed the advice of our best informed strategists, including the authors of the Defence Strategic Review, Sir Angus Houston and Professor Peter Dean, to urgently lift defence spending. 

Instead we have seen cuts to capability, including infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled howitzers, F-35s, Hunter class frigates and military communication satellites. Even reservists are having their hours rationed because Labor has failed to fund defence properly. 

All they’ve been offered is a fire-sale of some of our most historic military facilities that risks undermining our ability to mobilise in the event of a regional crisis. 

I will fight every day to ensure our men and women in uniform get the funding and support they deserve. 

I am looking forward to working with Darren Chester MP, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Philip Thompson MP, Shadow Minister for Defence Industry and Shadow Minister for Defence Personnel, Senator Leah Blyth, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence Infrastructure, and the other veterans and defence experts in the Coalition Party Room on a compelling defence policy for the next election.

ENDS

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