The Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, will today depart Australia for a series of meetings in Germany and France.
On 6 September, Minister Payne, with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop MP will attend the 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting with their German counterparts, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Federal Minister of Defence, Dr Ursula von der Leyen, in Berlin. The inaugural Ministerial dialogue marks a milestone in the Australia-Germany relationship and will focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation on foreign policy and defence matters.
On 7 September Minister Payne will meet with her French counterpart, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, in Paris to discuss the Australia-France Defence relationship including Pacific engagement, materiel cooperation, Australia’s Future Submarine Program, and operational commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Minister Payne will also meet with senior executives from DCNS in Paris to discuss the commercial arrangements for Australia’s Future Submarine Program.
AUS DoD - Minister for Defence