Victoria Barracks in Sydney and Melbourne to remain in public hands after partial backtrack on defence property selloff

Four heritage-listed defence properties to be preserved for community use after backlash from veterans and former PMs

Four heritage-listed defence sites, including Sydney’s Victoria Barracks, will remain in public hands after the Albanese government yielded to public backlash against their sale.

The sites, along with 63 others around the country, were identified in an independent audit as being underutilised by defence, not fit for purpose and costly to maintain, and were earmarked for sale to recoup $3bn in the federal budget.

But the plan to sell off the heritage-listed sites drew fierce opposition from public campaign group Save Victoria Barracks Sydney, veterans and high-profile politicians including former prime ministers John Howard and Paul Keating.