Budget Estimates 2012-2013
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Senate Standing Committee Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade QUESTIONS ON NOTICE 2012-13 Defence Budget Estimates Hearings – 28-29 May 2012 Proof Date Date Program: Hansard, Rec'd Tabled Division No. Senator / Broad topic Question page & or Member hearing Agency date or Written Q 1. CDG Senator Capability What mechanisms are in place to advise Government when the time taken to make decisions (in Page 42- 5/10/12 11/10/12 Fawcett Decisions relation to capability) will have an impact on the cost of obtaining the capability? 43 2. VCDF Senator USAF engagement When will public information be available re USAF engagement (in context of state of agreement)? Page 48- 28/9/12 11/10/12 Ludlam 49 3. DSG Senator Increase in What are the current electricity prices at Lavarack Barracks and what they are anticipated to be post Page 52 3/10/12 11/10/12 MacDonald electricity cost for 1 July (in relation to impact of carbon tax)? bases 4. DSG Senator Moorebank What are the 13 units and 4 associated units to be relocated from Moorebank (revised By S Lewis, Page 53 3/10/12 11/10/12 Johnston Relocated Units list all of the units affected by the move)? What is an associated unit? and 55 5. VCDF Senator Logistics What is the Logistics Rationalisation amount to be saved? Page 55 5/10/12 11/10/12 Johnston Rationalisation 6. DSG Senator Relocation to Senator Johnston asked at 1625h, in relation to facilities at Moorebank, (a) what are the current lease Page 58 4/10/12 11/10/12 Johnston Moorebank fees or annual rent, (b) what are the net savings and (c) what are the costs to establish West Wattle Grove site? 7. OSCDF Senator Fraud Detection How much Fraud has Defence detected since 2001 Auditor-General’s report? Page 59 5/10/12 11/10/12 Xenophon (a)How Many qualified investigators have been employed by the military police and other agencies within Defence, or its successor in the ADF, the Investigative Service? (b) What has the Department done to since the report to improve the reporting process? Are there suitably qualified investigators with respect to that? Also, what has the department done since to improve the reporting process? (c) Additionally, provide a comparative statement on the level of resources the UK MOD has devoted to fraud control/detection as opposed to Australian Defence. 8. DMO Senator Cost of re-fitting a The costs of re-fitting the flywheel to HMAS Waller (Collins). Page 70 28/9/12 11/10/12 Johnston flywheel 9. DMO Senator NAV-C United How many personnel are located with NAV-C in the United States? Where is the project office? Page 83 3/10/12 11/10/12 Johnston States project What does it cost the Government? Who retains the intellectual property rights, is it shared or jointly office held? What is the situation with respect to the development of the processor? (submarines) 10. CDG Senator Submarine escape, Has the submarine escape, rescue and abandonment project (SEA 1354) received first pass? If not, Page 93 3/10/12 11/10/12 Johnston rescue and what is the timeframe? abandonment program Defence portfolio 1 Proof Date Date Program: Hansard, Rec'd Tabled No. Division Senator / Broad topic Question page & or Member hearing Agency date or Written Q 11. DMO Senator Joh Parade Boots When was the tender awarded for the parade boots that have had issues with sole-separation (tender Page 103 3/10/12 11/10/12 nston awarded to Chinese company)? (a) Since 2009 there have been 49 RODUMS related to sole-separation. How many pairs of boots did the 49 RODUMS cover (how many pairs in each RODUM)? (b)Which company undertook testing of the problem boots to see if they met specifications? And how much did it cost? 12. DMO Senator Joh Baxter parade Where is the Baxter boot manufactured? Who manufactures the Baxter parade boots used by Page 106 3/10/12 11/10/12 nston boots Duntroon graduates? 13. Navy Senator RHIBs Is there not a weight issue with these boats, given the reconfiguration of them recently? Day 2 5/10/12 11/10/12 Johnston Page 7 14. Army Senator NORFORCE, 51 Could someone tell me – perhaps without being specific – for NORFORCE, 51 Battalion and the Day 2 3/10/12 11/10/12 MacDonald Battalion and the Pilbara Regiment, are the numbers increasing? Falling? About the same as they have always been? Page 9 Pilbara Regiment Is there a trend? 15. Army Senator NORFORCE, 51 Is there anything that governments could do to encourage greater participation in these Defence Day 2 3/10/12 11/10/12 MacDonald Battalion and the units, on the basis that Australia needs them, firstly, and it is sometimes a form of employment in an Page 10 Pilbara Regiment area that is not overly endowed with employment opportunities as a general rule. 16. CDG Senator C27J Provide a complete breakdown of systems included in the C27J aircraft (complete mission system) Day 2 5/10/12 11/10/12 Johnston that we are acquiring, and the costs involved (include total cost of each aircraft). Page 17 17. CDG Senator C27J What specific items are covered under ‘training devices’? Day 2 5/10/12 11/10/12 Johnston Page 18 18. CDG Senator C27J Why was there a month’s delay between the FMS approach and that approach to the competing Day 2 3/10/12 11/10/12 Johnston company in seeking information in relation to acquiring the C27J? Page 23 Verify that, chapter and verse, as to the cost of the aircraft, because there has been no competition. 19. VCDF Senator Hard landing in Why did the Portuguese aircraft remain in Darwin from February to April 2012 following the hard Day 2 28/9/12 11/10/12 icw Air Johnston Darwin landing? (MEAO Sustainment) Page 30 Force 20. Air Force Senator Pilot training Provide a breakdown of the use of simulated training for pilots (per platform) and as a proportion of Day 2 11/10/12 Kroger their overall training. Page 32 How many female pilots we have? Provide a breakdown of the number of pilots you have with various years of experience as well? Defence Portfolio 2 Proof Date Date Program: Hansard, Rec'd Tabled No. Division Senator / Broad topic Question page & or Member hearing Agency date or Written Q 21. DSG Senator Cultana acquisition What are the costs to date of pursuing the project in terms of administrative and legal compliance, Day 2 5/10/12 11/10/12 MacDonald independent consultants and due diligence (not including purchase costs)? Page 36 22. DSG Senator Cultana acquisition How has the length of time taken for the procurement of pastoralist leases been taken into account Day 2 5/10/12 11/10/12 Fawcett (length of time and impact on pastoralists business interests during the period)? Page 36 23. OSCDF Senator Land 17 In relation to Land 17 what was the nature of the courtesy contact with the South Korean Day 2 4/10/12 11/10/12 Abetz Government (prior to the budget announcement): Page 42 a. who made the contact b. who did they contact c. what was the substance of the contact d. was DFAT advice sought on the contact) e. Provide details of all contacts (if multiple). 24. MPR Senator Land 17 When specifically was Defence informed by Government of the decision to cancel Land 17? – Day 2 5/10/12 11/10/12 Abetz Page 43 25. PSP Senator Recruitment For confirmation, once investigations are finalised, that Defence recruitment processes do not Day 2 28/9/12 11/10/12 Faulkner processes include questioning of a sexual nature (as claimed in the 27 May media article). Senator Faulkner Page 45 indicated time flexibility in receiving the response to allow for investigations to be completed. 26. DMO Senator Ration pack When is the ration pack contract due for renegotiation? (is it possible to ensure that reference to the Day 2 28/9/12 11/10/12 Parry contract local benefit criteria is applied to that ration pack and whether Scottsdale could be considered for Page 46 that). and Written 27. DSTO Senator Ration Pack Is there capacity at the Scottsdale facility to increase the production of ration packs, if so, to what Day 2 26/9/12 11/10/12 Parry production degree? Page 47 28. VCDF Senator Mr Inwood a. Can the committee be provided with a copy of the records which support the awarding of Day 2 5/10/12 11/10/12 Ronaldson medals to Mr Inwood in relation to service in the Korean War. Pages 47 b. Where are these records kept, and on what date were they most recently verified in relation to and 48. Mr Inwood’s service in Korea? c. Can Senator Feeney provide Senator Ronaldson with a copy of all correspondence with Mr Chester in relation to this mater? 29. DSG Senator HMAS Stirling Provide details on the proposal for a wave generator trial at HMAS Stirling in WA. Day 2 3/10/12 11/10/12 MacDonald a. what are the current energy use costs at the base? Pages 52. 30. OSCDF Senator Oakey helicopter Are there any plans for Singapore to contribute any facilities to Oakey under the arrangement? Day 2 28/9/12 11/10/12 (IP) MacDonald training Page 54 31. DSTO Senator Work with Provide details on DSTO plans to involve universities in program work at the RESTRICTED level.