Australia's new Defence Industries Minister Pat Conroy plans to build on the foundations that his predecessor Greg Combet laid to make the Hunter one of the world's top aerospace hubs.
Mr Combet, who was also the member for the former Hunter seat of Charlton, was Minister for Defence Materiel and Science in the Rudd government. He is credited for doing much of the work that attracted companies including Lockhead Martin, BAE and Boeing to the Hunter as part of the Joint Strike Fighter project.
