2019-03-26
Greens Defence spokesperson, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, commented on the release of the Auditor-General’s report into Defence’s Management of its Projects of Concern.
"The Auditor-General’s finding that Defence no longer has an appropriate framework to manage projects of concern comes as no surprise.
"Defence is basically given a blank cheque.
"For example, the White Paper lists the cost of 12 new submarines at simply ">$50bn".
"With this sort of indifference to cost it is no surprise that Defence is not properly managing projects of concern.
"Both the major parties are responsible with their joint support for the arbitrary target of Defence spending equalling 2% of GDP, absent of any escalation in the overall threat to the nation.
"This is pouring public money into the pockets of weapon manufacturers and entering us into a regional arms race.
"Neither of these things are making us safer."