Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence Fran Bailey said tonight that Queensland would benefit from approved Defence facilities projects totalling approximately $67 million in the 2004-05 Budget.

Subject to Defence planning processes, an extra $14 million per annum will be spent over the next four years on Defence estate upkeep works.

Some 13,600 members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Department of Defence personnel are based in Queensland.

"Lavarack Barracks will benefit from the construction of new facilities for the 1^st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment and Headquarters 3^rd Brigade. Lavarack will also benefit from the development of a state of the art Helicopter Underwater Training Facility.

Capital Facilities Projects for Queensland include:

Replace vehicle washpoint, hardening of roads for ASLAV vehicles and refurbishment of two workshops for ASLAV vehicles.

Construct a workshop to provide for the maintenance of the Australian Light Armoured Vehicles in Southeast Queensland.

This project will redevelop the base to optimise it for support of Army rotary-wing flying training, including the armed reconnaissance helicopter. The project is largely complete, with the flight simulator scheduled to be delivered this year. The project is due for completion in May 2005.

Townsville – Lavarack Barracks Redevelopment Stage 3

This project provides new working facilities for Army units at Lavarack Barracks to replace existing ones. Construction of new facilities for the 1^st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment will be completed by October 2004 and construction of new facilities for Headquarters 3^rd Brigade will commence in November 2004. All Stage 3 works will be completed by December 2005.

This project provides a range of new facilities to replace existing ones. This project is substantially complete, with new facilities for 27 Squadron to be completed by August 2004.

The project aim is to provide a facility at Lavarack Barracks for the conduct of training of personnel in helicopter underwater escape techniques.

The project aim is to provide a technology-based training facility at Lavarack Barracks which will provide self-paced learning for Defence personnel.

The project aim is to provide accommodation to support a state-of-the-art combat training system.

Townsville – Special Operations Forward Mounting Facility

The project aim is to provide regional facilities for the deployment of Special Operations elements.

The project aim is to relocate the existing range to a site where the noise impact on local residents is minimised.

The Government will provide an additional $300m over three years from 2005-06 to meet increasing costs of maintaining the Defence estate. Defence has also redirected an additional $100m from within its existing budget to estate upkeep in 2004-05. The additional funding will bring planned expenditure on Defence estate upkeep to approximately $330m per annum for the next four years.

The additional funding will enable Defence to meet the increasing cost of maintaining its extensive base infrastructure, including airfields, naval bases, barracks, training ranges and fuel farms. Funds will also be used to meet community, environmental and occupational health and safety regulatory requirements.

The program of estate upkeep works is developed each year. The further funding is expected to result in the following additional expenditure on estate upkeep in Queensland over the next four years. These amounts may change as planning processes proceed.

Examples of works to be undertaken in Queensland in 2004-05 include:

• road works on military training areas; and
• repairs to airfield lighting at RAAF Amberley.