Minister for Defence

PETER LINDSAY MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence

BUDGET 2007-08

$52.5 MILLION IN DEFENCE SPENDING FOR THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

Defence facilities in the Northern Territory will benefit from $52.5 million in funding for 2007-08.

• $14.6 million has been allocated to approved Defence facilities projects;

• A further $37.9 million will be spent on Defence Estate upkeep works.

The capital facilities investments in the Northern Territory will support the new Armidale Class Patrol Boats and provide an additional training area for 1^st Brigade.

These two capital facilities projects are:

Timber Creek – Bradshaw Field Training Area Infrastructure

This project provides engineering services and infrastructure to allow the use of Bradshaw as a field training area for the 1st Brigade. Works include roads, training force maintenance area, base camp, range control and caretaker facilities. The work is scheduled for completion by late 2007.  

Darwin - Darwin Naval Base Patrol Boat Facilities

This project provides upgraded facilities at the Darwin Naval Base for the new Armidale-class patrol boats. Construction commenced in early 2005 and is being completed in stages to allow the continued operation of the naval base and to support the staged introduction into service of the Armidale-class patrol boat.  The project is scheduled for completion in late 2007.

Note

1. A further $10.6m 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 the Northern Territory include: RAAF Darwin Redevelopment Stage 2, Robertson Barracks Redevelopment (including facilities for Land 907 and the Hardened and Networked Army projects), RAAF Tindal Redevelopment Stage 5, RAAF Tindal Airborne Early Warning and Control Facilities, facilities to support the introduction of the C-17 heavy air lift capability and the Single Living Environment and Accommodation Precinct Phase 2 proposals for Robertson Barracks and HMAS Coonawarra.

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 $37.9 million on estate upkeep in the Northern Territory.

Examples of works to be undertaken in the Northern Territory 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;

·        maintenance of unsealed roads on Defence training areas and sealed roads at Defence bases;

·        termite proofing of buildings at Robertson Barracks;

·        OH&S repairs at Larrakeyah Barracks;

·        replacement of air-conditioning in the communications centre at RAAF Tindal; and

·        repairs to a vehicle loading ramp at RAAF Darwin.

Media contacts

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