On the eve of International Women's Day, Senator Payne told a Brisbane business luncheon there was a huge pool of talent waiting to be tapped for the wider defence industry.

While much attention has been given to a push for more women in frontline service roles, the minister focused more on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) jobs.

"Whether it's in terms of the number of engineers, of naval architects, technicians, electricians, people who can weld submarines," Senator Payne said on Wednesday.

"I think the opportunity for us in terms of developing a workforce, both within the ADF and the defence industry more broadly, is limitless about how we can go about engaging women."

Senator Payne said she had met with the senior female leadership of all three branches of the defence force, but conceded much more needed to be done to get the ADF up to an acceptable level of female representation.

Australian Associated Press