Israel will not stop breaking the ceasefire to bomb Palestinian civilians and our government and universities will not stop facilitating this genocide. In fact, next week, the NSW Labour government under Minns’ leadership is hosting a weapons expo in the middle of Sydney, featuring the weapons companies and war criminals whose profits have soared because of the genocide in Gaza. Shamefully, UTS will be running a stall.
The 2025 Indo Pacific International Maritime Expo will be held at Sydney’s International Convention Centre from November 4-6 2025. It is a marketplace for war, where weapons manufacturers and government officials meet to broker deals that profit from destruction. Among these exhibitors are Rafael and Elbit Systems, two Israeli defence companies who make drones for the IDF, who use these to target civilians and aid workers. Earlier this year, Rafael even used footage of a Gazan being targeted as advertising material.
Under capitalism, war is profitable—and business is booming. These companies’ stock prices have surged in step with Israel’s $46.5 billion (USD) military budget for its genocidal assault on Gaza. The weapons expo will help them cash in further, under the guise of “defence collaboration” and “technological innovation.”
Following the Money: Government and University Complicity
So, why are our government and universities involved in this? The answer is simple: they want their share of the profits.
Australia’s leaders have made clear where their loyalties stand. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has proudly declared that “Australia is an F-35 country”, referring to the Australian-made parts for the fighter jets currently dropping bombs on Gaza.
Just this week, Australia signed a new trade deal with the United States that will expand the mining of rare earth minerals,essential for the manufacturing of weapons. These are not isolated moves but part of a broader strategy to align Australia more tightly with the U.S. and Israeli military-industrial complex.
Universities, too, are following the money. Institutions like UTS receive funding from both governments and weapons manufacturers in exchange for research partnerships, Research & Development programs, and recruitment pipelines into the defence industry. Their role is not only financial but ideological: to normalise militarisation and participation in the weapons industry.
UTS’s partnership with the French arms giant Thales is a prime example. The company sponsors scholarships for Indigenous engineering students, offering a veneer of social responsibility while maintaining what it proudly calls a “whole-of-university partnership.” Behind this language lies a reality: universities are actively being reshaped to serve the defence sector.
A Future Built on Militarisation
The weapons expo takes place amid a global climate of escalating militarisation and preparation for future atrocities. The government’s increasing investment in military infrastructure, its deepening ties with the U.S. through AUKUS, and the suppression of the Free Palestine movement show this. This is how militarisation becomes the status quo.
We cannot allow these war criminals to have their conference without a fight. On November 4, at 6:30 a.m, the Palestine Action Group will be holding a mass blockade of the expo.
The question is: will you be there?
Please find the petition to demand UTS withdraw from weapons manufacturing expo here.
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