Historic Defence Sites in Sydney and Melbourne to Stay Publicly Owned

The Albanese government previously planned to sell 65 underutilised defence properties to recoup $3bn in the federal budget. This included historic locations like Victoria Barracks in Sydney and Melbourne, Fort Queenscliff, and RAAF Base Point Cook. However, the proposed selloff generated substantial public backlash from veterans and former prime ministers John Howard and Paul Keating, who argued the sites were vital to Australia's military heritage. In response, the government confirmed these four heritage sites will remain in public hands for community use once vacated by defence personnel.