BUDGET 2005-06

More than $17 million in Defence funding for South Australia

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence Teresa Gambaro said that South Australia would benefit from approved Defence facilities projects totalling approximately $12.4 million in the 2005-06 Budget.

"Subject to Defence planning processes, approximately $5 million will also be spent in 2005-06 on Defence estate upkeep works.

"The work in South Australia will see significant funds allocated to a major extension of the electronic warfare facilities at the Defence Science and Technology Organisation site at Edinburgh.

"This facility will support the co-location of Australian Defence Force electronic warfare activities," said Ms Gambaro.

Some 6225 members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Department of Defence personnel are based in South Australia.

Approved capital facilities projects for South Australia include:

DSTO Edinburgh - Extension to Joint Electronic Warfare Building

This project will provide facilities to support the co-location of electronic warfare activities, and additional space for the software support facilities for a number of different ADF platforms that are, or shortly will be, fitted with electronic warfare equipment. Construction is proceeding on schedule and completion is expected by mid-2006.

Edinburgh - Aircraft Signature Turntable

The purpose of this project is to construct a new turntable facility at RAAF Edinburgh to measure the Radar Cross Sections (RCS) of airborne platforms.

Program of Works (State, Federal Electorate and Locality)	Total Estimated Expenditure $million	Estimated Expenditure to 30 June 2005 $million	Budget Estimate 2005-06 $million
Wakefield
DSTO Edinburgh - Extension to Joint Electronic Warfare Building	19.9	6.8	11.7
Edinburgh - Aircraft Signature Turntable	1.6	0.9	0.7
Total South Australia	21.5	7.7	12.4

* Some totals may slightly vary from PBS due to rounding.

In addition, the Government has approved construction of an Ammunition Facility at Port Wakefield. This project was considered by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works on 21 April 2005, and subject to a Parliamentary expediency motion, this project will proceed in 2005-06.

Estate Upkeep

The Government will meet its 2004-05 commitment to provide an additional $300 million over three years from 2005-06 to meet increasing costs of maintaining the national Defence estate. The additional funding will bring planned expenditure on Defence estate upkeep to approximately $330 million per annum for the next three 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 programme of estate upkeep works is developed and revised each year. The further funding is expected to result in additional expenditure on estate upkeep in South Australia over the next three years. During 2005-06 this will be approximately $5 million.

Examples of works to be undertaken in South Australia include:

Upgrade of the water supply pipeline to Woomera.
Replacement of aging water reticulation at Woodside Barracks.
Upgrade the heating systems in airmen's mess at RAAF Edinburgh.
Environmental management works at Cultana training area.
Replacement of air-conditioning chillers at Defence Science and Technology Organisation Edinburgh.
Installation of power factor correction at Edinburgh.

Media contacts:
Michelle Smytheman (Parliamentary Secretary) 02 6277 4433 0418 777 498
Defence Media Liaison 02 6265 3343 0408 498 664

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