Statement 1: Budget Overview (Continued)
Promoting Australia's national security and interests
This Budget reaffirms the Government's enduring commitment to promoting Australia's national security and interests, both abroad and at home. The 2013‑14 Budget supports the delivery of the 2013 Defence White Paper (DWP), strengthens Australia's air combat capabilities, progresses Australia's efforts in confronting global security challenges during a period of transition, tackles gang violence and organised crime through renewed federal leadership, and strengthens the security of our borders.
In the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper, the Government committed itself to extending Australia's bilateral architecture with China through regular high‑level meetings between leaders and senior ministers. On 9 April 2013, Australia and China launched the Strategic Partnership — an historic agreement to a new bilateral architecture that will guide the future relationship between our two countries.
The Strategic Partnership reflects the importance Australia and China place on the bilateral relationship, its expanding scope and depth, and the shared interests of both sides including in the continued development of a stable and peaceful Asian region.
The new bilateral architecture will provide a modern platform to give renewed strategic direction to the relationship between Australia and China. It features an annual leaders' meeting; an annual Strategic Economic Dialogue, between economic ministers of both countries; and an annual Foreign and Strategic Dialogue, between foreign ministers of both countries.
Delivering a strong Australian Defence Force
The 2013 DWP builds on the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper and the National Security Strategy. It addresses significant international and domestic developments since 2009 that have influenced Australia's national security and defence settings.
The Government will provide Defence with the resources it needs to deliver on the priorities in the 2013 DWP. The Defence funding model will be based on the four‑year forward estimates Budget cycle, determined on an annual basis taking into account contemporary strategic, economic and fiscal circumstances. Defence will be required to manage its resources within this four‑year forward estimates funding model and will be provided with a subsequent six years of general guidance for Defence planning purposes.
This Budget provides Defence with more funding over the next four‑year forward estimates period than was provided in the 2012‑13 Budget. The Budget provides funding of $113.2 billion over the period 2013‑14 to 2016‑17, compared with $103.4 billion over the period 2012‑13 to 2015‑16 in the 2012‑13 Budget.
The Government is committed to increase Defence funding to two per cent of GDP as and when fiscal circumstances allow. This is a long‑term objective that will be implemented in an economically responsible manner.
To maintain an effective air combat capability edge before the Joint Strike Fighters enter operation early in the next decade, this Budget will provide $3.0 billion over nine years to acquire 12 new‑build EA‑18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft.
Centenary of Anzac
The Government will provide an additional $25 million over four years to commemorate the Centenary of Anzac. In total, Government spending of over $140 million has been provided to commemorate the Centenary of Anzac.
The new package of measures will include seven new initiatives, based on the recommendations of the Anzac Centenary Advisory Board's report. These initiatives include seed funding of $10 million in 2013‑14 for the Anzac Centenary travelling exhibition, funding of $2.5 million over four years for the production of documentaries by ABC and Screen Australia, and $2.8 million over four years for grants for Centenary of Anzac history projects. The Government will also provide $2.7 million over two years for an event to commemorate the original Albany Convoy which will mark the opening of the Centenary.
Since MYEFO, the Government has also doubled the Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program to $100,000 per electorate. Grant funding worth $13.3 million in total will be available in 2013‑14 and will provide communities with an opportunity to pay tribute to those involved in the First World War. The Government has also granted deductible gift recipient (DGR) status to the Anzac Centenary Public Fund at a cost of $7.5 million. DGR status will enable the public to make a tax deductible contribution to the fund, which will support a range of Centenary of Anzac projects, including the Anzac Centenary travelling exhibition as well as state and territory initiatives.
Protecting Australia's interests abroad
The 2013‑14 Budget maintains Australia's efforts in confronting global security challenges, providing $616.8 million in additional funding for Australian Defence Force (ADF) operations around the world. In 2013‑14, a number of Australia's key overseas military operations will conclude or transition towards a significantly different focus.
The Government remains committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven and training ground for global terrorism. To that end, Australia has been mentoring the Afghan National Security Forces to lead security efforts in their country. With the closure of Multi National Base — Tarin Kot at the end of 2013 at least 1,000 ADF personnel will return home.
In 2014, the ADF will focus on a training role at the Afghan National Army (ANA) Officer Academy in Kabul with our British and New Zealand colleagues. In Kandahar, the ADF will continue to provide training assistance to the 205 Corps of the ANA. Post‑2014, Australia is prepared to contribute to the 'train, advise and assist' mission for the Afghan National Security Forces by continuing to provide embedded Headquarters staff, advisors at the Corps level and trainers at the ANA Officer Academy in Kabul. Under an appropriate mandate, Australia remains prepared to make a Special Forces contribution, either for training or for counter terrorism purposes.
Civilian efforts on development and capacity building in Afghanistan will continue, but with a renewed focus on a national‑level aid program that will strengthen Afghan institutions to carry on their important work once the Afghan Government takes lead security responsibility across their country.
While Australia's military contribution to the International Stabilisation Force in Timor‑Leste will conclude by the end of 2013, Australia will continue to support capacity building as part of a broader bilateral relationship, including through Australia's development assistance program.
The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has succeeded in stabilising security conditions in Solomon Islands. Military engagement is no longer required and the Australian military will withdraw by late 2013. Australian police assistance will continue in order to further develop the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force's public order response capability, to the value of $315.6 million over four years.
Civilian support provided under RAMSI will transition to long‑term development assistance as part of Australia's bilateral aid program. Assistance to the value of $160.4 million over four years will be provided to build Solomon Islands' capacity in the areas of economic and public sector governance, electoral processes and law and justice.
The 2013‑14 Budget continues to demonstrate Australia's commitment to overcoming poverty around the world, providing $5.7 billion as official development assistance (ODA). The Government will continue to increase ODA to 0.5 per cent of gross national income, but will defer the target date by one year from 2016‑17 to 2017‑18. This decision will assist the Government to address its substantial fiscal consolidation task, but will still see the aid program grow by 42.4 per cent over the next four years and builds on the $2.0 billion increase in annual ODA expenditure over the period 2007‑08 to 2012‑13.
As part of Australia's commitment to helping to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Government will provide $390.9 million over four years to address priority development needs in countries in the Asia‑Pacific region, such as Papua New Guinea and Bangladesh, which are struggling to meet the MDGs, particularly those targeting poverty, education and maternal health.
Australia's aid program will also see a renewed emphasis on our partnerships with multilateral development institutions. The Government will bring forward existing commitments to the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), providing these institutions with $550.4 million in 2016‑17 to fund their work with the world's poorest countries. Australia will also contribute new resources to join the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, to encourage economic and social development in Africa.
The World Bank, ADB and AfDB Group rated highly in the Government's 2012 Australian Multilateral Assessment, such that the Government can have confidence that increased funding to these institutions will deliver tangible development benefits.
Australia and China have also signed a new development cooperation partnership which will bring together efforts to address some of the most pressing development issues facing the Asia‑pacific region, including drug resistant malaria, HIV/AIDS and water resource management in developing countries.
Safer communities
The Government's $149.9 million package for community safety will focus on supporting at‑risk youth, assisting local communities to target crime hotspots, and strengthening law enforcement efforts to curb gang violence, organised crime, and the illegal firearms market.
At‑risk communities will be supported by a $40.9 million National Crime Prevention Fund that will use the confiscated proceeds of crime to fund local youth mentoring and outreach programs and security infrastructure such as street lighting and security cameras.
The Fund will expand highly successful programs such as Youth Off The Streets and support Police Youth Citizens Clubs and Blue Light organisations to provide services including mentoring and diversionary activities. These programs have proved effective in reducing crime by targeting local needs and building a sense of citizenship within communities.
Community support programs will be complemented by strengthened law enforcement efforts. The $64.1 million National Anti‑Gang Taskforce will comprise 70 members of the Australian Federal Police and state police forces to form strike teams to target gang‑related crime across Australia. These officers will work with a newly established Australian Gang Intelligence Centre, which will provide national criminal intelligence on gang activity across Australia and overseas.
The $30.2 million National Border Targeting Centre will use an intelligence‑led approach to target international passengers and cargo that pose the greatest risk to our community. An additional $5.6 million will be directed to efforts to target organised crime at the waterfront in Melbourne and Brisbane, building on successful efforts in Sydney.
The $9.1 million Australian Ballistics Identification Network (ABIN) will be rolled out across the country to enhance police investigations into firearms crimes. The ABIN uses advanced technology to analyse firearms seized from criminals to build a database of all weapons used in crime and recovered by police, in every State and Territory.
Strengthening our borders
This Budget includes investment of $205.8 million to combat the current rate of people smuggling to Australia. The Government will continue to ensure Australia's border agencies are equipped to manage the expected flow of irregular maritime arrivals.
The Government recognises the vital importance of ensuring strong regional cooperation to respond to the issue of irregular migration. This Budget provides a further $88.6 million of investment to strengthen regional cooperation. Funding will support further capacity building and training in regional border agencies, and will continue to support Australia's role in key regional and multilateral forums, including the Bali Process, of which Australia is a co‑chair.
This Budget also includes $84.8 million to increase Australia's border patrol capabilities. The funding provides for an increased maritime and aerial surveillance presence to enhance the capacity of our border agencies to respond to issues such as people smuggling and illegal fishing.
The Government will also commission a comprehensive review of the refugee status determination process to ensure that Australia continues to provide protection to asylum seekers consistent with our international obligations.
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