WA has high hopes for Land Forces as anti-war activists prepare to protest

Industry executives from 60 countries, almost 1,000 exhibiting organisations, 10 days of special police powers and $11.5 million for policing.

Those are the quick numbers on this week's huge Land Forces defence expo as it makes its debut in Perth today.

The conference and trade show has marketed itself as a place to "discover the latest, cutting-edge land defence technologies" and connect with leaders across the sector.

But as groups prepare to protest the event and what's on display inside, in scenes the WA government hopes are not similar to clashes outside Melbourne's expo in 2024, one question remains.

Who is this expo really for and what is WA's role in it?

What is Land Forces?

The expo is hosted across the country every two years, and this year Perth is hosting it for the first time.

"This is an important event for Western Australia strategically, commercially, for a whole other range of reasons," WA Police Minister Reece Whitby said last week.

For the government, it's the perfect time to host an international conference of this magnitude, especially while it's trying to grow WA's defence industry.

While in Perth, delegates from across the Indo-Pacific, Europe, Asia and North America will tour Henderson, the home of AUKUS, as well as the Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct in Neerabup.

Strategically timed, the government hopes the tour-de-defence will help drive future investment in the state, diversify the economy, and create more local jobs.

With economic growth on the minds of the state's leaders, are they comfortable with the expo's contents and the major weapons companies featured?

Some, for example, produce counter-drones and AI-driven autonomous combat systems designed to swarm at scale.

"I am, look defence industries is something which is going to be an important opportunity for Western Australia," WA Premier and Defence Industries Minister Roger Cook said on Sunday.

"We can't overlook the fact or hide our heads in the sand that we live in a geopolitically, very important and strategic area."

Mr Whitby agreed, saying the expo relates to WA's "strategic security and that's important".

The expo is funded by the state and commonwealth governments — but we're not allowed to know the extent of that financial backing.

Organisers refused to reveal the cost while the state government cited commercial-in-confidence when asked how much it kicked in.

It might be taxpayers' money but it seems taxpayers are not allowed to know how much they're paying.

Temporary extra police power

Mr Whitby has labelled the expo the "biggest police operation" in the state, outpacing the queen's visit for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2011.

Police have been handed an extra $11.5 million to provide security and given temporary powers under new laws.

Those temporary powers include the ability to ban "excluded persons" from Land Forces and its dedicated security zone outside the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Protesters can still protest outside of the security zone if they are on that list, but the bans stirred controversy as soon as they were issued.

Some voiced grievances online.

WA Greens social media manager Matilda Lane-Rose lodged a complaint in the Supreme Court through lawyers and is now permitted to enter the event's area for "a short window" on Tuesday to film content.

"All I want is to be able to move through the city where I live and where I work freely and this is a step in the right direction to letting me do just that," Ms Lane-Rose said.

Police said in a statement when a complaint is received, where appropriate, individuals will be engaged with and "limited or reduced access" may be considered.

Not repeating history

Bans aside, the WA government is desperate to avoid similar scenes to Melbourne's expo.

"We know from the experience in Victoria that there will be people who want to protest the Land Forces conference, I respect that, this is a democracy," Mr Cook said on Monday.

"They have the right to protest, but they have to protest peacefully and respectfully and within the laws of the state."

The government might be nervous, but Greens MLC Sophie McNeill says the protest scene in Perth is different to the east coast.

"We have a peaceful protest movement here in Western Australia, we don't think that you need to spend $11.5 million buying police fancy new hardware," she said last week.

Organisers agree they want the planned protest march from Yagan Square to Elizabeth Quay to be peaceful and non-violent.

"The notion that there could be violence by protesters is frankly a smokescreen, it's actually the violence of people that will be exhibiting that is the issue," WA Anti-War Collective's Sam Wainwright said last week.

Police will be watching scenes closely — but taxpayers will also be watching.

Questioning whether this expo is a good use of money, or whether it's something worth protesting.