Aust, US to share defence costs in north

Australia and the United States have agreed to share the infrastructure and ongoing costs of joint training in northern Australia.

Defence Minister Marise Payne and her counterpart Ash Carter have welcomed the in-principle conclusion of cost-sharing negotiations for the so-called Force Posture Initiatives during a meeting in Washington DC.

Both will share the $2 billion in infrastructure investment in northern Australia as well as the ongoing costs over the 25-year life of the agreement signed in 2014, Ms Payne said in a statement on Thursday.