Dear Mrs Irwin

Thank you for your letter of 25 June 2009 to the Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon John Faulkner, concerning the petition on the future of Borneo Barracks recently submitted by the Hon Ian Macfarlane MP, the Member for Groom, on the behalf of Highfields Better Business. As this matter falls within my portfolio responsibilities, your correspondence has been passed to me for response.

While current Defence planning is to retain Borneo Barracks, the disposition of the Defence estate, including Borneo Barracks, will remain subject to the strategic and capability requirements of the Australian Defence Force as outlined in the Defence White Paper 2009.

It would therefore be inappropriate to comment on the future of Borneo Barracks or any other base at this time.

I hope this information will be of assistance to you.

from the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support, Dr Kelly