Overview
- Admiral David Johnston told Senate estimates the task group stayed about five to seven nautical miles outside the 200‑nautical‑mile zone off north‑east Queensland.
- The flotilla included a cruiser, a frigate, a replenishment ship and a landing helicopter dock that passed near Noumea before tracking north toward areas near Papua New Guinea.
- The ADF monitored the ships throughout December and coordinated information‑sharing with several Pacific island partners.
- Officials judged the deployment a demonstration of growing blue‑water capability coupled with internal training, with no live‑fire activity reported.
- Opposition figures criticised the sparse public updates during the transit and urged greater transparency about Australia’s strategic circumstances.