THE HON DR BRENDAN NELSON MP

Minister for Defence

PETER LINDSAY MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence

BUDGET 2007-08

$119.7 MILLION IN DEFENCE SPENDING FOR VICTORIA

Defence facilities in Victoria will benefit from $119.7 million in funding for 2007-08.

• $49.0 million has been allocated to approved Defence facilities projects;

• $70.7 million will be spent on Defence Estate upkeep works.

Subject to Parliamentary clearance an additional $101.3 million will be spent on the Defence Force School of Signals Project at Watsonia to provide new working accommodation, security arrangements and updated living-in-accommodation.  Further, an additional $35.9 million will be spent, subject to Parliamentary clearance on the Land Engineering Agency Test Services Relocation to Monegeetta.

Approved capital facilities projects for Victoria include:

Bendigo Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation Relocation

This project will provide new working accommodation at a relocated site to replace existing facilities.  Construction commenced in February 2007 and is anticipated to be completed by end 2007.

HMAS Cerberus – Small Arms Training Section Redevelopment

This project will redevelop the existing range facilities.  Government approved the project in January 2007.  Construction is expected to commence in mid 2007 and be complete by end 2008.

New South Wales and Victoria

RAAF College Relocation – RAAF Wagga and RAAF East Sale

This project relocates the RAAF College from RAAF Williams (Point Cook) and RAAF Base Edinburgh to RAAF East Sale and RAAF Wagga. The project will provide working accommodation, training facilities, and living-in accommodation for college staff and students. Construction is on schedule for completion of all facilities in mid-2008.

Notes

1.         The budget for the facilities is $10.7 million.  An additional $0.6 million will be provided for specialised fitout.

2.         The RAAF College Relocation Wagga / East Sale budget of $133.4 million addresses both locations i.e. RAAF Wagga and RAAF East Sale. 

3.       A further $4.4 million will be expended on approved medium projects not detailed in this table.

Significant additional expenditure is expected to be announced during the year as further projects are considered for approval.  Projects scheduled for Victoria include the Joint Logistics Unit Warehousing at Bandiana and Single Living and Environment Accommodation Precinct Phase 2 proposals at Bandiana, Watsonia, Laverton and Puckapunyal.

Estate Upkeep

Estate upkeep works provide for the ongoing maintenance of Defence’s extensive existing base infrastructure, including airfields, naval bases, barracks, training ranges, cadet facilities and fuel farms.  The rolling maintenance program is developed and revised each year, focussing on areas of highest priority.  During 2007-08 Defence will spend approximately $70.7 million on estate upkeep in Victoria.

Examples of works to be undertaken in Victoria include:

·        on-going performance-based maintenance of fixed plant and equipment;

·        reactive maintenance in response to inevitable break-downs, faults and failures;

·        environmental monitoring, management and remediation works on field training areas and firing ranges;

·        wharf repairs at Point Wilson;

·        upgrade living accommodation for trainees at HMAS Cerberus;

·        replace lighting in hangars at RAAF East Sale;

·        repairs to the obstacle course training facility at Latchford Barracks, Wodonga;

·        construction of classrooms for the ADF School of Languages at Point Cook; and

·        refurbishment of the health centre at Simpson Barracks, Watsonia.

Media contacts

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