Australia to boost spending on defense, national security

Date: 9/5/2006
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CANBERRA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Australia will spend more money on the nation's defense and anti-terror war under the budget for the 2006-07 financial year (July 1 2006-June 30 2007) announced Tuesday.

This is the 11th budget of the Howard government since it came to power 10 years ago.

Defense budget for 2006-07 will be 19.6 billion dollars (15 billion U.S. dollars), rising 12 percent over that in the previous year.

An elite High Readiness Reserve force will be created with better trained soldiers to the level of permanent forces to boost Australia's long-term combat capabilities.

Defense funding will increase by 3 percent annually to 2015-16 when defense budget will be 26.7 billion dollars (20.5 billion U.S. dollars).

The government will spend extra 623 million dollars (477 million U.S. dollars) on current defense operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Extra 1.9 billion dollars (1.45 billion U.S. dollars) will be spent to buy new C-17 transport aircraft and 1.5 billion dollars (1.15 billion U.S. dollars) over 10 years to upgrade army.

Meanwhile, the federal government plans to spend 1.5 billion dollars (1.15 billion U.S. dollars) over the next five years to boost national security.

A total of 242 million dollars (185 million U.S. dollars) will be spent over four years for improvement of airport security, with the aim of the presence of uniformed police at all major airports by the end of next year.

Plans for better airport security also include more close circuit security cameras, x-ray screening of cargo, more sniffer dogs and identity cards for airport workers.

Australian Security Intelligence Organization, Australia's top spy agency, will receive 642 million dollars (492 million U.S. dollars) next financial year and plans to boost staff by 50 percent, from 1,200 to 1,800.

The Australian Federal Police will expand its intelligence and surveillance programs with funds of 87 million dollars (66 million U.S. dollars) over four years.

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