No pot of gold: Understanding Defence’s Integrated Investment Program
Almost a year ago, the Defence Strategic Review (DSR) set homework for the Department of Defence, including reprioritising the country’s rolling plan for military capability spending, the Integrated Investment Program (IIP). That update is now nearly due.
But we should not assume that the government can address defence funding problems by shifting funds between projects in a spending plan that is already overburdened.
There’s a widespread view in the public that Defence wastes money, a view reinforced in recent years by critical Australian National Audit Office reports detailing cost increases for many Australian Defence Force projects. The Hunter frigate program is a well-known example, with…