Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Defence has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

The annual budgets for activities targeted through streams have been reduced by amounts that reflect cost reductions agreed by Government. As at 31 December 2011, Defence had expensed 46.1 per cent of annual budgets captured by Strategic Reform Program (SRP) streams. Based on an expected pattern of expenditure over the 6 months to end June 2012, Defence is confident it will deliver its required business outcomes within these reduced annual budgets.

Defence will publish the stream cost reductions achieved for the full financial year in the Defence Annual Report 2011-12 which is expected to be released in late 2012.