Australia: budget reduces, but capability improves

摘要

As part of efforts to return its overall budget to surplus in the year to 30 June 2013, the federal government announced defence-spending cuts in May 2012. Defence spending for 2012-13 was reduced to A$24.2bn (US$25.1 bn), down from a projected A$26.5bn (US$27.4bn) for 2011-12. Overall, the cuts should save A$5.45bn by the end of the 2015-16 financial year.