Defence major projects report enquity

PARLIAMENT’s Joint Public Accounts and Audit Committee (JCPAA) will examine the joint Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) and Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) Major Projects Report (MPR) 2013-14.

Today, the JCPAA opened an inquiry into the MPR 2013-14 following the report’s out-of-session tabling in the Australian Parliament.

Committee Chair, Dr Andrew Southcott MP, said that major Defence equipment acquisition projects remain the subject of considerable parliamentary and public interest, in view of their high cost, contribution to national security and the challenges involved in completing them within budget, on time and to the required level of capability.

“This is the seventh MPR produced by the ANAO and DMO and the Committee remains committed to seeing that, when it comes to Defence procurement, Australian tax-payers money is being spent wisely,” Dr Southcott said.

“The JCPAA’s on-going work has been very important in the MPR’s development.  Our efforts actively contribute to greater efficiencies in terms of current Defence projects as well as helping inform government on the best way to approach new Defence acquisitions, such as the Future Submarine project.”

Interested persons and organisations are invited to make submissions to the Committee’s inquiry by Friday, 13 February 2015.  Further information about the Committee’s inquiry, including details on how to lodge a submission, are available on the Committee’s website at: www.aph.gov.au/jcpaa.

A public hearing is expected be held on 27 February 2015.

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