Australia Announces A$25.7Bn (USD 23 billion) Defense Budget

15 Mei 2010

Australian defense spending (image : conservativehome)

Budget 2010-11: Defence Budget Overview

The Government will continue its strong commitment to Defence through investment of $25.7 billion in Defence, including an additional $1.1 billion for operations in 2010-11.

The Australian Government will also invest $1.1 billion for enhanced force protection capabilities in Afghanistan over the period 2009-10 to 2012-13, including the acquisition of a Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar sense and warn capability.

Senator Faulkner said initiatives announced in the 2010 Budget that will result in spending for 2010-11 include:

--$915.6 million for Australia’s commitment to helping bring peace and stability to Afghanistan and combating global terrorism;

--$19.6 million will be provided for Defence to support an increase in Australian Government civilian officials in Afghanistan through a dedicated security protection force, and the provision of engineering and life support to this wider Government contribution. Excluding enhanced force protection capabilities, the total cost of Defence operations in Afghanistan, including funding approved in previous budgets is $1.126 billion;

--$487.1 million for enhanced force protection capabilities and initiatives in support of deployed forces in Afghanistan;

--$9.2 million for the continuation of security to protect the Australian Embassy in Iraq bringing the total to $13.1 million;

--$151.1 million for continued operational commitments in East Timor bringing the total to $170.0 million;

--$42.5 million for continued support to the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands;

--$15.3 million for continued support to coastal surveillance operations; and

--$13.7 million for the development of a detailed business case for the relocation of Defence units from Moorebank as part of the proposed development of the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal.

Due to an improved security environment in East Timor, Defence will make greater use of Reservists, as is currently the case in Solomon Islands.

Senator Faulkner also outlined the Government’s commitment to continued reform in Defence. In this coming year, Defence will continue to focus on efficiency and improved business processes.

Projection 2010-2019 (image : conservativehome)

The Defence Strategic Reform Program will deliver more than $1 billion in cost-reductions in 2010-11 for reinvestment in Defence capability. This will give Australia a stronger, more agile and harder-hitting Defence Force. This builds on the cost-reduction of $797 million Defence will achieve in 2009-10.

Defence has also allocated approximately $329 million to the Defence Base Security Improvement Program from 2010-11 to 2013-14, with approximately $86 million allocated for expenditure in the 2010-11 financial year and $10.8 million expected to be expended in the 2009-10 financial year. The Program was established to implement the recommendations of the Review of Defence Protective Security Arrangements conducted in August 2009. The Review was initiated in response to a changing security environment, including an increased risk of terrorism.

The Government has also provided $35.2 million over two financial years, including $13.7 million in 2010-11, for the development of a detailed business case for the relocation of Defence units from Moorebank to Holsworthy Barracks as part of the proposed development of the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal.

This year's budget will also see funding of $6.3 billion for approximately 57,000 full-time ADF personnel, plus recruiting for around 6,000 new full-time recruits.

At 94 per cent, achievement of the Permanent Force recruiting target has been one of the best for a decade. At 4641 enlistments, there are 249 more Permanent Force candidates enlisted to 1 April 2010 than for the same period last Financial Year.

While enjoying these excellent recruiting results, the broader ADF is also experiencing the lowest separation rates in over 20 years. As at 1 April 2010, the separation rate from the ADF was 7.0 per cent which is 2.7 per cent less than last year.

Throughout the 2010-11 financial year, Defence will be investing a total of $16.6m to improve mental health services. This will include specialist workforce, equipment and facility upgrades.

In particular, Defence will spend $0.8m over the 2010-11 financial year to further improve mental health training and professional development for all health professionals as a critical step to achieving better quality care for ADF members.
Defence will be continuing prevention strategies, which includes psychological resilience training for all ADF members totaling $13.2m in the 2010-11 Budget.

Defence will also continue to collaborate with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to determine the protective and risk factors that impact on mental health issues in the ADF.

The 2010-11 Budget also includes over $1.7 billion in 2010–11 to maintain, upgrade and build new Defence facilities across Australia. This includes $1.3 billion for approved Defence facilities projects, and over $400 million for Defence estate upkeep.

Senator Faulkner said, “This is a significant investment in Defence infrastructure that also invests in jobs and the Australian economy”.

Australian map (image findawinery)

This funding, broken down by state, includes:

New South Wales
$266.5 million in 2010–11 includes:
--$99 million for works forming part of the $793.1 million Enhanced Land Force Facilities Stage 1 project;
--$30.6 million for works forming part of the $1.4 billion Enhanced Land Force Facilities Stage 2 project; and
--$7.2 million in 2010–11 for approved medium capital works facilities totals at the Joint Logistics Command Depot (Eden) and Victoria Barracks (Sydney).

Victoria
$147.6 million in 2010–11 includes:
--$36.9 million for work at Puckapunyal as part of the $793.1 million Enhanced Land Force Facilities Stage 1 project;
--$18.7 million for work at Watsonia as part of the $1.4 billion Enhanced Land Force Facilities Stage 2 project; and
--A total of $2.9 million in 2010–11 for approved medium capital works facilities at RAAF Base East Sale, for DSTO in Melbourne and at Victoria Barracks (Melbourne).

Queensland
$601.8 million in 2010–11 includes:
--$279.6 million for works forming part of the $1.4 billion Enhanced Land Force Facilities Stage 2 project;
--$121.4 million for works in 2010–11 as part of the $793.1 million Enhanced Land Force Facilities Stage 1 project;
--$38.7 million in 2010–11 for works under the $331.5 million RAAF Base Amberley Redevelopment Stage 3 project;
--$27.8 million in 2010–11 to continue work on the $207.2 million Lavarack Barracks Redevelopment Stage 4 project;
--$18 million in 2010–11 for various approved medium capital works at the Shoal Water Bay Training Area, Oakey, and at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville; and
--$17.5 million in 2010–11 for the $110.1 million Australian Super Hornet Facilities project.

South Australia
$268 million in 2010–11 includes:
--$159 million in 2010–11 for work to continue on the $597.4 million Hardened and Network Army Facilities project at the Edinburgh Defence Precinct and Murray Bridge Training Area;
--$50 million for work to proceed on the $99.6 million RAAF Base Edinburgh Redevelopment Stage 2 project; and
--$15 million for work to proceed at RAAF Base Edinburgh on the $793.1 million Enhanced Land Force Facilities Stage 1 project.

Western Australia
$88.6 million in 2010–11 includes:
--$32 million in 2010–11 to continue work on the $142.2 million RAAF Base Pearce Redevelopment Stage 1 project; and
--$7 million in 2010–11 will be spent on approved medium capital works facilities at Campbell Barracks and the Bindoon Training Range.

Northern Territory
$214.2 million in 2010–11 includes:
--$42.8 million for the $72.1 million Robertson Barracks Redevelopment project;
--$40.9 million for work at RAAF Base Tindal as part of the $64.2 million Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft Facilities project;
--$36 million in 2010–11 for work to continue on the $58.7 million RAAF Base Tindal Redevelopment Stage 5 project;
--$25 million for work on the $49.8 million RAAF Base Darwin Redevelopment Stage 2 project; and
--$16.9 million in 2010–11 for approved medium capital works facilities at Shoal Bay as part of the $12.3 million Receiving Station Facilities upgrade and at Darwin as part of the $10.7 million Naval Fuel Installation Rectification project.

Australian Capital Territory
$165.4 million in 2010–11 includes:
--$58.5 million in the 2010–11 Budget for works at HMAS Harman as part of the ---$129.2 million Defence Facilities at HMAS Harman and Other Locations project;
--$35 million at HMAS Creswell as part of the $83.6 million HMAS Creswell redevelopment project;
--$18.2 million at Majura Field Training Area and $9.6 million at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, for works forming part of the $1.4 billion Enhanced Land Force Facilities Stage 2 project;
--$11.6 million in the 2010–11 for works at the Australian Defence Force Academy as part of the $34.7 million Living-in Accommodation Refurbishment project; and
--$6.7 million in 2010–11 for approved medium capital works facilities at the Defence Computing Bureau, Deakin and Tuggeranong, as part of the $13.3 million Defence Computing Data Centres—Infrastructure Upgrades project.

Tasmania
$4.7 million in 2010–11 for Defence estate upkeep, including:

--Remediation of asbestos in facilities at Anglesea Barracks;
--Environmental monitoring in accordance with legislation at Buckland Training Area; and
--Refurbishment of the electrical reticulation system at Derwent Barracks.

(Australian DoD)