Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signalled a donation of more Bushmasters to war-torn Ukraine was not on the agenda when he toured the Thales factory in Bendigo with Defence Minister Richard Marles on Friday.
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"We have committed not just 90 Bushmasters ... and it's been bipartisan ... my government has continued to increase the support we've provided ... including some cyber assistance, but we're also providing the support of training of Ukrainian defence personnel," he said.
"Bushmasters are playing a role not just here in Australia, in defending the Australian Defence Force personnel, they're playing a role around the world.
"When I met with President Zelensky, he requested additional Bushmasters, because he identified the provision of Bushmasters had been critical to supporting the Ukrainian defence personnel who are defending their country against the illegal invasion of Russia."
Mr Albanese, a former minister for regional development, talked up regional Australia as "the driving force behind a resurgence of advanced manufacturing" and praised the "world class manufacturing" of Hawkei as well as Bushmaster vehicles at Thales.
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The company had produced more than 1000 Bushmasters and employed 300 people in "good, well paid, secure jobs", he said.
More than 10 apprentices would be working at the facility during 2023, the Prime Minister said.
"And that's the resurgence that we're seeing in Australian skills and training," he said.
"We need to make more things here. We need to have more safe sovereign capability here.
"One of the key elements of the election campaign I fought last year was a future made in Australia."
With its National Reconstruction Fund, support for fee-free TAFE places and for Australian industry and manufacturing, the government was delivering on the commitment, he said.
Mr Marles described Thales as "really one of the jewels in the crown of the Australian defence industry" and said Bushmasters were "very much at the center of Australia's army".
The Defence Minister described the schedule for the delivery of the 90 armoured vehicles from Thales as "on track".
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