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Thursday, 9 February 2012
Page: 710

Defence: Program Funding

(Question No. 1451)

Senator Humphries asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 9 November 2011:

(1) Of the $1.1 billion identified in the 2010 Budget for soldier/force protection over the forward estimates:

(a) how much has been committed in contracts; and

(b) how much has so far been spent.

(2) Can a breakdown be provided for each expenditure item under the package in paragraph (1), including the items purchased/ordered, contract value and amount spent so far; for money not yet spent, what further expenditures are planned and to what value.

Senator Chris Evans: The Minister for Defence has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) Of the $1.1 billion identified in the 2010-11 Budget for soldier/force protection over the forward estimates as well as the $0.5 billion of funding provided under Operation SLIPPER:

(a) an amount of $875.1 million has been committed; and

(b) $537 million has been spent to 30 June 2011, with $215.2 million in 2009-10 and $321.8 million in 2010-11.

(2) Due to the classified nature of the capabilities being procured under the package a breakdown by individual initiative is not publically available. Of the initial estimate of $1.6 billion, an amount of $26.7 million is no longer required as the acquisition costs were less than expected, $126.4 million was re-programmed from 2010-11 to 2011-12 in the 2010-11 Additional Estimates and $1.8 million from 2009-10 is being re-programmed from within the funding allocated to Groups.