Albanese government to sell off $3bn worth of historic defence sites amid push to free up space for new homes

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 1 min read 100% complete by Tom McIlroy Political editorFebruary 4, 2026 at 12:24 AM

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The Australian federal government, led by Richard Marles, plans to sell $3 billion worth of historic defence properties across the country. This decision follows a comprehensive audit of government land holdings. Over 60 properties, including Victoria Barracks in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, are slated for sale. The move aims to free up land for new housing developments and public spaces. Public servants will be relocated to modern offices, while some heritage sites, like John Curtin's WWII cabinet rooms in Melbourne, will be opened to the public.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

John Curtin 40% World War II 40% Brisbane ×250% Melbourne ×360% Sydney ×260% Federal Government 70% Victoria Barracks ×270% Richard Marles 80%

Keywords

defence sites 90% property sale 80% housing development 70% government land 60% historic sites 50% public spaces 50% government audit 40% victoria barracks 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: 0.10

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

85%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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defence sites property sale housing development government land historic sites public spaces government audit victoria barracks

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