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 19 December 2012:

What is the: (a) hourly; (b) daily; (c) monthly; and (d) yearly cost to the department for each of the following Royal Australian Navy platforms: Adelaide Class Frigate; Anzac Class Frigate; Armidale Class Patrol Boat; Collins Class Submarine; Huon Class Mine Hunter;

HMAS Choules; HMAS Tobruk; HMAS Success; HMAS Sirius; Balikpapan Class Landing Craft Heavy; Leeuwin Class Surveying; Paluma Class Coastal Surveying; and Helicopters?

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 of the (a) hourly; (b) daily; (c) monthly; and (d) yearly cost to the Department for each platform is outlined in the Table below.

The daily and hourly cost of each Navy vessel is based on actual direct costs for financial year 2011-12, which includes sustainment, fuel, salaries, allowances and superannuation.

The average monthly cost is calculated by dividing the annual cost for each Platform Class by 12 and then by the number of vessels.

The average daily cost per vessel has been calculated by dividing the annual cost for each Platform Class by the number of vessels, and then dividing that cost by 365 days (except for HMAS Choules).

The average hourly cost per vessel has been calculated by dividing the average daily cost by 24.

Included in the cost of Anzac Class Frigates are the costs of three ships in Extended Readiness (HMAS Anzac from July 2011 to September 2011; HMAS Arunta from July 2011 to June 2012; and HMAS Stuart from September 2011 to June 2012).

Included in the cost of Huon Class Mine Hunters is the cost of maintaining two vessels at Extended Readiness throughout 2012.

The cost of HMAS Choules is for the period from 13 December 2011 to 30 June 2012 (200 calendar days only) and has therefore been extrapolated to provide an annual cost.

It should be noted that this method of calculating a rate per vessel does not differentiate between a vessel at sea or a vessel is alongside in harbour – it is an average. Of course, in reality, a fully crewed vessel at sea costs Navy substantially more per hour than those alongside in harbour.

MRH-90 helicopter costs are not included as these aircraft did not incur Navy operational costs in the financial year 2011-12.