CrossEyedShooter wrote:
It's a desperate grab at everyone's votes. I noticed that they haven't really done anything special for defence though, the budget still seems to be the same. I think they figure because the boys and girls are getting some shiny new toys, that they dont need extra spending for things like TRAINING and super.
Sorry dude but you are very wrong and I'm guessing you aren't in the Defence Industry or you would have known the following:
"In working to this plan, a further $14.0 billion has been allocated over ten years in this year's Budget to build a better equipped, more mobile and operationally ready Defence Force.
The boost to funding comes on top of the $4.1 billion allocated for the enhanced land force initiative, which will establish an extra two Army battalions. An additional $1.0 billion was also allocated to Defence recruitment and retention in December 2006.
This is the seventh budget in a row that the Government has met or exceeded its 2000 Defence White Paper funding commitment.
Since the Coalition Government came to power in 1996, the Defence budget has increased from $10.6 billion in 1995-96 to $22.0 billion in 2007-08, which represents a real increase of about 47% during this time."