By
LEUT Aaron Matzkows
 |
THE
2004 Federal Budget has gives a major cash injection to the ADF
that should provide a solid foundation for future years.
Defence’s share is part of a longerthan-usual-term plan to keep
developing a small highly-capable force, superbly trained and
equipped with the best platforms on the sea, land and air.
Recruiting the right servicemen and women and their retention
is a major theme in what the Chief of the Defence Force, GEN Peter
Cosgrove, described as “a major boost to the quality-of-life aspects
of our service”.
Deputy Secretary, Strategy, Shane Carmody said the 2004-05 Budget
would help the Strategy Group and the entire Defence Organisation
deliver on major priorities, especially in the areas of regional
stability, counter proliferation and the war on terrorism.
“An important focus of our program of international engagement
is stability in the region. Additional funding provided in the
Budget for the East Timor Defence Force, for Defence Force reform
in Papua New Guinea and for the Pacific Patrol Boat project are
all important enhancements to that program,” he said. “I also
welcome the additional funding for regional counterterrorism cooperation
in this regard.
I believe the capability enhancements provided for in the Budget,
especially those to special forces, incident response, intelligence
and surveillance capabilities, will enable us to make a more effective
contribution to the global counter-proliferation and counterterrorism
efforts.”
No doubt the volatile international situation and a recognition
that parts of the ADF were showing signs of wear persuaded the
Government to be a little more generous than we have come to expect.
Chief Finance Officer Lloyd Bennett explained how the leadership
managed to obtain a good percentage of the money they sought.
It is a very different world from the one we lived in 10 years
ago, he said.
“I think part of the problem is the world’s got a lot more complex
in a whole lot of different dimensions. One of those dimensions
is certainly finance but, equally, the strategic situation we
find ourselves in,” Mr Bennett said.
“Because of the complexity, it requires more analysis and governance,
etc, to understand where we need the money, where we’re spending
the money, reporting back to people who are giving us such huge
amounts of money. Given all of that, we’ve clearly lifted our
game. We’ve improved the way we do it but clearly we’ve got a
long way to go.
“I think these days the Defence Financial Management Plan, which
is the 10-year view, is now thoroughly, more deeply, embraced
... if that’s possible.
“The fact that we revisit and refine it every year means we are
keeping an eye not only on the future but the here and now as
well,” he said.
Despite the big increases in Budget 04, Australia’s Defence spending
as a percentage of a growing Gross Domestic Product remains about
1.84 per cent.
