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 20 August 2012:

For the period 1 January to 30 June 2012, what productivity improvement savings have been made by the Department and by the Defence Materiel Organisation?

Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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

The Strategic Reform Program was developed with the purpose of increasing the efficiency and productivity in Defence. The savings achieved under the SRP for 2011-12 will be reported in the Annual Report. They are not reported on a six-monthly basis.

Defence will further enhance productivity through the implementation of further shared services reform, tighter recruitment practices, and a prioritisation of Australian Public Service (APS) positions. This includes reductions in the growth in APS positions announced in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 Budgets.

Defence has also been subject to a range of efficiency dividends on its non-operational, non-capability funding, which Defence has achieved through greater cost consciousness, improved economies of scale, and a prioritisation of activities.