David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 21 March 2011:

For the period 1 July to 31 December 2010:

(a) what specific savings of the expected $700 million over the period 2010 to 2019 have been made in the optimising of inventory holdings and the introducing of more efficient management techniques; and

(b) what one-off savings been made.

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

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

(a) and (b) Strategic Reform Program (SRP) savings are tracked, reported and managed on a stream-by-stream basis; they are not broken up by sub-category of productivity, one-offs or other descriptors.

The Smart Sustainment stream, which includes inventory, is comprised of a range of specific initiatives across the spectrum of Defence and the Defence Material Organisation (DMO). These initiatives are at various stages of maturity and SRP governance closely monitors the progress of these initiatives against the planned schedule and achievement of agreed cost reductions.

Defence will publish the stream cost reductions achieved for the full financial year in the Defence Annual Report 2010-11 which is expected to be released in late 2011.