Defence and Security: Ongoing initiatives

Defence and regional Australia

With approximately 70 per cent of the Defence Force located in regional areas, the Australian Government's Defence policy makes a significant contribution to regional Australia. The Defence footprint is evident through employment, industry, community involvement and services, childcare facilities, housing, cooperation on heritage issues, Indigenous affairs and economic activity. The following measures positively impact on regional Australia.

National Security – enhanced protective security

As part of the 2007-08 Budget, the Australian Government announced a continuation of an existing initiative at a cost of $135.4 million over four years to maintain security measures to protect Defence personnel, key assets, facilities and infrastructure at Defence bases. An amount of $33.1 million will be spent in 2007-08 mostly on regions and bases across Australia. The additional funding will provide for a range of measures to continue the heightened guarding, patrolling and protective searches across Defence establishments. This will ensure that Defence personnel can continue to work safely despite uncertainty in the current security environment.

Expansion and enhancement of the Defence Force Cadet Scheme

In 2007-08, Defence will increase the number of Cadets and enhance the overall management of the Cadet programme. The programme will be linked more closely to the education system and the National Training Framework to benefit the young participants and the adult instructors, by equipping them with skills and knowledge that will be externally recognised.

Capital Facilities Projects

Defence bases around the country are being redeveloped and upgraded to ensure ADF personnel have the best possible facilities. Defence facilities will benefit from an injection totalling $916.9 million in 2007-08. Defence will carry out $511.4 million worth of capital infrastructure projects in 2007-08 to deliver increased capability and improved support for the ADF to undertake a wide range of Government tasks. Projects located in regional Australia include:

$63 million for base trunk engineering services, civil works and infrastructure upgrades at RAAF Amberley, QLD.
$50 million for base infrastructure upgrades and construction of facilities and accommodation at RAAF East Sale, Victoria and RAAF Wagga, NSW.
$45 million to construct operational and support infrastructure at HMAS Cairns, Queensland.
$43.8 million to equip the new Headquarters Joint Operations Command facility near Bungendore, New South Wales.
$19.5 million for supporting base infrastructure upgrades and working accommodation construction at Kokoda Barracks Canungra, Queensland.
$14.4 million for new and refurbished facilities to support the introduction of the new troop lift helicopters at RAAF Townsville, Queensland.
$13.7 million for construction of ordnance loading aprons at RAAF Williamtown, New South Wales.
A further $153.4 million will be expended on other major and medium facilities projects throughout Australia.
A further $405.5 million will also be expended on estate upkeep.

Securing Australia's North-West Shelf

In 2005-06 the Australian Government outlined a new measure estimated to be worth $139.3 million over four years to enhance the security of Australia's North-West Shelf. $27.3 million is allocated to this initiative in 2007‑08. As part of this package, two additional Armidale-Class Patrol Boats will be purchased to undertake North-West Shelf surveillance and will operate out of Dampier, Western Australia. The additional Patrol Boats will be built by Defence Maritime Services/Austal in Western Australia, and this is expected to have positive implications for the Western Australian economy. These vessels will be rotated through Dampier but home ported in Darwin. Since this funding was announced, construction of dedicated Navy administrative support accommodation and logistics storage at Taylor Barracks, Karratha is nearing completion, and a multi-stage stairway on the Dampier Cargo Wharf and a cyclone-rated mooring buoy have been approved for construction in 2007. The local communities in Dampier and Karratha will derive additional benefits from the local basing of Royal Australian Navy personnel.

Skilling Australia's defence industry

In 2005-06 the Australian Government outlined a new initiative estimated to be worth $215 million over ten years to recognise its commitment to addressing the current skills shortage facing Australia's defence industry. It is anticipated that this package will improve the quality and quantity of specialist skills training across Australia, up‑skill existing employees and generate additional skilled positions available to the Australian Defence Industry. To continue this programme, the Australian Government will spend approximately $21 million in 2007-08 to support skills development and growth for the Australian workforce.

Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Programme

In 2006, the Australian Army undertook its tenth year of the Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Programme (AACAP), with works on its infrastructure and technical training for the people of Borroloola, a community about 900 kilometres south east of Darwin. The AACAP is an ongoing commitment that reinforces the strong association between Army and the Indigenous people of Northern Australia. Army provides soldiers and equipment to complete project management, construction, health care and training support to selected communities. The programme has seen essential housing, infrastructure and health and training support to remote communities around Australia. In 2007, current planning is that AACAP will assist the Doomadgee region in Queensland's Gulf country.

Defence community organisation projects benefiting regional communities

Defence will continue to support members of the Australian Defence Force and their families through a number of projects conducted by the Defence Community Organisation (DCO). Services which particularly benefit the regions include: support for Defence community groups; regional information projects and services, such as the Family Information Network and DCO website; an extensive network of child care support; a programme of grants for Defence community groups to foster self-help and community spirit; a spouse employment assistance programme; support for posted families with special needs; and education services to ease transition and minimise the disruption of education due to mobility for ADF families.

Reserve Employer Support Payment Scheme

The Australian Government continues to provide a commitment to show the way as a major employer of Reservists by providing leave policies and employment practices that support the release of Reservists for peacetime training and deployment. Agreements are now in place to provide Reservists with access to leave for training and deployment. In addition, revised arrangements authorised under Defence Determination 2002 (Employer Support Payments), became operative on 1 July 2003 that enhanced the operation and effectiveness of the Employer Support Payment Scheme, which has seen payments totalling about $20 million per annum made to thousands of employers throughout Australia.