Albanese government plans to sell valuable real estate in Sydney, Melbourne and other capital cities

Sharkie stated that his voters were concerned that Woodside Barracks in South Australia would be sold and converted into housing as a result of the audit, underlining how controversial this revision could be across the country and why it was put on hold until after the federal election.

The City of Sydney has embraced the idea of ​​turning Victoria Barracks in Paddington into public green space and housing units to alleviate the inner-city housing shortage.

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Defense is the Commonwealth’s largest landowner and the resale value of the property is estimated at $68 billion. The portfolio includes more than 1,000 owned and leased properties, including military bases, barracks, golf courses, training grounds and storage facilities.

Marles told a defense conference in June that “there is an opportunity to save billions of dollars and reprioritize them into much-needed defense areas, while ensuring we have a defense area that appropriately supports the contemporary Australian Defense Force.”

Defense officials told the Senate at hearings on Thursday that the department was conducting a “detailed and serious study” in response to the audit submitted to the government in December 2023.

“The government is considering both the review and Defence’s analysis and recommendations for implementation,” said Celia Perkins, Defense assistant secretary for security and property.

Officials turned down a request from Greens senator David Shoebridge for a copy of the review, which was based on visits to 70 sites across the country by independent inspectors.

The reviewers, former Defense Housing Australia chief executive Jan Mason and Infrastructure Victoria chief executive Jim Miller, were asked to focus on whether Defense’s assets in high-density urban areas were compatible with current military needs.

“This secret audit has been on the defense minister’s desk for almost two years, and the public fears it is a proposal to sell land across the country.”

Deputy Defense Minister Peter Khalil, who is responsible for the defense field, said the government is committed to advancing the audit but will carefully consider its impacts on defense force personnel and capabilities.

“It is now more vital than ever to ensure that property is compatible with Defence’s capability needs,” he said.

Peter Dean, lead author of the 2023 defense strategic review, said: “Consolidation of defense property is long overdue and is in line with the recommendations of the review.

“Some of these decisions will be difficult due to the historical and cultural attachment to these places, but Defense property needs to be suitable for the challenges we face.”

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City of Sydney Deputy Mayor Zann Maxwell, who led the push for the reuse of Victoria Barracks, said: “This isn’t about tearing things down or building on history. This is about protecting and enhancing one of Australia’s most important heritage sites through sensitive adaptive reuse.”

Sydney’s Victoria Barracks has been in use since 1848 and is home to the headquarters of Forces Command, which oversees 85 per cent of army personnel, the NSW Australian Army Museum and the Sydney Australian Army Band.

In August the council called for a public presentation on how the 15ha site near Moore Park could be used if it were to be disposed of following inspection.

Retired army major general Fergus McLachlan said he supported the consolidation of defense property but argued two properties should be banned from selling: Victoria Barracks in Sydney and Anglesea Barracks in Hobart.

“There is certainly inefficiency in the defense area, but I would be very disappointed to see these barracks sold when they form such an important part of our nation’s military history.”

Anglesea Barracks, which serves as the Tasmanian administrative center of Defense and houses an army museum, has been in use since 1814.

Completed in 1872, Victoria Barracks on Melbourne’s Southbank once served as the main headquarters of the Defense and served as the main headquarters for World War II. It hosted the special war cabinet during World War II. Founded in 1864, it still serves as a defense administrative centre, as does Victoria Barracks in Brisbane.