Australian Election: Opposition to score points on defence procurement

Bipartisan support between the government and the opposition for all overseas military deployments means there is likely to be little heat and light around defence during the Australian Federal Election campaign. So, in the absence of substantive political points to be scored on Afghanistan, the opposition will look to score points from the government on more prosaic issues, particularly defence procurement.

The focus on procurement is also a handy way to stage a pre-emptive attack on the Defence Material Minister, Greg Combet, who is tipped to take over from Senator Faulkner when he leaves the portfolio after the election. The opposition has already fired one shot. Its defence industry spokesman, Bob Baldwin, announced last week it would split the Defence Material Organisation, the agency that buys everything from buttons to submarines, from the Australian Defence Force.

The DMO has been plagued by inefficiency, cost blowouts and project overruns. Mr Baldwin said the change would make it more accountable to government, and would give its chief executive, Stephen Gumley, greater power to stamp out inefficiency.

Read more here