Show us the money: defence urged to buy local

Australian business should be offered lucrative defence contracts first before options are sought overseas, an advocacy group says, claiming many are missing out under the AUKUS pact

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The boss of the Australian Industry and Defence Network is urging the defence department to overhaul the way it does business.

Chief executive Mike Johnson said the Defence Department should be required to give a certain percentage of contracts to Australian companies, before looking overseas.

While embracing the AUKUS nuclear submarine agreement with the US and UK, Mr Johnson questioned the billions of dollars the federal government is pouring into the program