Boston, MA -- (SBWire) -- 07/22/2013 --Australian defence is entering a decisive period. The ambitious vision for Australian defence laid out in a 2009 Defence White Paper are now in serious doubt, as the administration of Prime Minister Julia Gillard enacted defence spending cuts, which run contrary to the previous plan to grow the budget steadily each year. Procurement plans are now in a state of limbo, and await the publication of a new White Paper - expected in 2013-14 - when Canberra should lay out which priorities remain, and which have been dropped. With a general election due by November 2013, the document's publication may now be pushed back until 2014, despite a government pledge to the contrary. The outcome of the election could also be highly significant for defence, with the opposition - currently the favourite to win, with Gillard lagging in the polls - pledging to reverse the defence-spending cuts.
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In the meantime, the fate of Australia's two biggest upcoming defence programmes remains uncertain. These are the procurement of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and the development of a next-generation submarine. The 2009 Defence White Paper stated requirements for 100 F-35s and 12 new submarines, but both procurements could now be scaled back. The decision in early 2013 to buy an addition 24 Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets rather than announce a firm commitment to buy the F-35 underscored Canberra's concerns both about the rising price of the aircraft and also the lengthy delays in its development.
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New Market Study Published: Australia Defence & Security Report Q3 2013
New Defense market report from Business Monitor International: "Australia Defence & Security Report Q3 2013"