Post by corsair67 on May 9, 2007 11:57:53 GMT 12
Defence has done well for the next financial year with another boost in defence spending. Although a fair whack of this money is going on some major items, hopefully there is some room for procurement of new helicopters for the RAN to replace the Squirrels, and possibly, the Seasprites?
Will be interesting to see whether the new measures to retain personnel in the ADF will have any effect?
From The Australian.
Biggest boost for military in three decades
Patrick Walters
May 09, 2007
DEFENCE spending will surge by $2billion to $22billion in 2007-08 with major new outlays on equipment and personnel driving the massive investment in the military.
The budget brings a 10.6 per cent lift in defence spending - the biggest annual increase in more than 30 years.
An extra $14 billion has been committed over the next decade on equipment, personnel, logistics and continuing military operations offshore, led by Afghanistan and Iraq.
For the first time in more than a decade, defence spending has hit 2 per cent of GDP as the Howard Government continues the most sustained defence build-up Australia has undertaken since World War II.
The $50 billion earmarked for new equipment over the coming decade includes the $16 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, $7billion on three new air warfare destroyers and $6.6 billion on 24 F/A-18F Super Hornet fighters.
The biggest individual spends in 2007-08 include an initial $621million downpayment on the Super Hornets and $450million on Australia's Afghanistan commitment, which will see more than 1000 troops serving there by the middle of next year.
The Government will spend an extra $2.1 billion on defence force recruitment and retention, on top of the $1 billion announced last December, including $864 million on subsidised housing loans as well as higher pay for skills.
The aim is to increase the overall size of the Australian Defence Force by 6000, to 57,000, by 2016. This would include a 30,000-strong army and rebuilding the navy's strength, which is currently 1000 under target.
The Government has also earmarked $100 million to expand the cadet scheme, with the hope of boosting future enlistments in the regular defence force.
Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said last night that spending would continue to grow to reach an estimated $30 billion within a decade.
"Since the Coalition Government came to power in 1996 the defence budget has increased from $10.6 billion in 1995-96 to $22billion in 2007-8, which represents a real increase of about 47per cent during this time," Dr Nelson said.
He said this budget was the seventh in a row in which the Government had met or exceeded its 2000 White Paper pledge to lift annual defence spending in real terms by 3 per cent.
The real increase in last night's budget is about 8 per cent.
The Government has earmarked an extra $1.1 billion for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq over the next three years, including almost $400 million on Iraq. Spending on operations in East Timor will reach $135million over the next two years.
The budget also earmarks an extra $380 million over 10 years for improving the signals intelligence collection of the Defence Signals Directorate, including efforts to improve the overall counter-terrorism effort, as well as new measures to enhance the security of government communications across all agencies.
One of the biggest long-term investments is the funding of $4billion for defence logistics for the maintenance of equipment, including ships, aircraft and army vehicles. "The boost to logistics funding will ensure that the ADF is able to continue to respond in an exceptional manner to contingencies now and in the future," Dr Nelson said.
Will be interesting to see whether the new measures to retain personnel in the ADF will have any effect?
From The Australian.
Biggest boost for military in three decades
Patrick Walters
May 09, 2007
DEFENCE spending will surge by $2billion to $22billion in 2007-08 with major new outlays on equipment and personnel driving the massive investment in the military.
The budget brings a 10.6 per cent lift in defence spending - the biggest annual increase in more than 30 years.
An extra $14 billion has been committed over the next decade on equipment, personnel, logistics and continuing military operations offshore, led by Afghanistan and Iraq.
For the first time in more than a decade, defence spending has hit 2 per cent of GDP as the Howard Government continues the most sustained defence build-up Australia has undertaken since World War II.
The $50 billion earmarked for new equipment over the coming decade includes the $16 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, $7billion on three new air warfare destroyers and $6.6 billion on 24 F/A-18F Super Hornet fighters.
The biggest individual spends in 2007-08 include an initial $621million downpayment on the Super Hornets and $450million on Australia's Afghanistan commitment, which will see more than 1000 troops serving there by the middle of next year.
The Government will spend an extra $2.1 billion on defence force recruitment and retention, on top of the $1 billion announced last December, including $864 million on subsidised housing loans as well as higher pay for skills.
The aim is to increase the overall size of the Australian Defence Force by 6000, to 57,000, by 2016. This would include a 30,000-strong army and rebuilding the navy's strength, which is currently 1000 under target.
The Government has also earmarked $100 million to expand the cadet scheme, with the hope of boosting future enlistments in the regular defence force.
Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said last night that spending would continue to grow to reach an estimated $30 billion within a decade.
"Since the Coalition Government came to power in 1996 the defence budget has increased from $10.6 billion in 1995-96 to $22billion in 2007-8, which represents a real increase of about 47per cent during this time," Dr Nelson said.
He said this budget was the seventh in a row in which the Government had met or exceeded its 2000 White Paper pledge to lift annual defence spending in real terms by 3 per cent.
The real increase in last night's budget is about 8 per cent.
The Government has earmarked an extra $1.1 billion for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq over the next three years, including almost $400 million on Iraq. Spending on operations in East Timor will reach $135million over the next two years.
The budget also earmarks an extra $380 million over 10 years for improving the signals intelligence collection of the Defence Signals Directorate, including efforts to improve the overall counter-terrorism effort, as well as new measures to enhance the security of government communications across all agencies.
One of the biggest long-term investments is the funding of $4billion for defence logistics for the maintenance of equipment, including ships, aircraft and army vehicles. "The boost to logistics funding will ensure that the ADF is able to continue to respond in an exceptional manner to contingencies now and in the future," Dr Nelson said.
