Australia Gets Confused...

[BluntedAtBirth]

From Jane's online

Australia will boost its defence spending by 10.6 per cent to AUD22 billion (USD18.2 billion) over the next 12 months: Canberra's biggest annual increase in military expenditure in more than 30 years.

Reflecting concerns over the country's increasingly complex strategic environment, the 2007-08 defence budget totals 9.3 per cent of all government outlays for the financial year and two per cent of Gross Domestic Product. Adjusted for inflation, it represents a 47 per cent increase in annual defence spending since 1996.

How stupid can you get, putting more money into defence just because your forces are engaged on ops. What would the UK MOD do with a 10.6% increase in funding in one year - probably manage to pay for what we have got...

[Runaway Gun]

Forward thinking from the Aussies?

They'll be recruiting talented Geezers from HM forces next.....

[Rakshasa]

If it wasn't for the bad droughts and insects I'd've emigrated a decade ago. :hmm:

[storl tern]

Well, if you're partial to bad droughts and insects then you're probably right to stay put just where you are!

[henry crun]

There is possibly a different meaning to the word where you live storl tern, but in my world, if he was "partial" to bad droughts and insects he want to go there. :confused:

[Runaway Gun]

Luckily none of the HM forces are currently deployed in partially dry or insect laden areas.

Now please excuse me whilst I try to encourage this huge camel spider to leave my tent. ;)

[Wiley]

Let's hope they use some of the money to buy some simple, hardy kit likely to be of use in the kind of stoush their troops have found themselves fighting (and look like fighting in the foreseeable future) rather than going for what they've gone for too often in the past - high cost, glitzy, all bells and whistles - and therefore, because of cost constraints, get TOO FEW UNITS to be of any damned use should, God forbid, push ever come to shove on a national scale.

And let's hope they don't do what they've been absolute world leaders at in the past - buy high cost, glitzy, all bells and whistles one-offs that no one else in the world uses (and therefore can't be replaced) and to their own specs (that they change three of four times in mid-contract) to make the end result even more costly.

[storl tern]

If it wasn't for the bad droughts and insects I'd've emigrated a decade ago

...ie, I've got bad droughts and insects here and I like them otherwise I would have emigrated.....

oh, forget it!! :ugh:

ps. My particular MBZ is in Western Australia

[kokpit]

They'll be recruiting talented Geezers from HM forces next.....

They already are, one of ours emigrates next month ;)

[harrogate]

Howard's straight out of the same paranoid stable as Bush and Blair. He's probably just looked at a map for the first time in his life and **** a brick at just how far away Australia is from the rest of the world.

And there's a helluva lot of those bloody muslims on his doorstep in Indonesia.

Maybe Tiger Airways and Jetstar, with their super-low fares to Asia and Indonesia, pose a new threat, which has been reflected in Howard's military spending?

Do you need F22s to take out an A320, or can you do it with Super Hornets?

[tacr2man]

The Aussies are really worried (and rightly so IMHO) about whats just north of them But their best defender is their hostile north country(conditions and distance). This seems to govern the defensive strategy. But you have to give them credit for the forsight to realise (unlike UK) that immigration control contributes a big part to their security.

[toddbabe]

So their is just Helo's in the Gulf from Oz is there Maroon 4? are you sure about that????? get your facts right before you gob off, and I for one would love for our Government to realise our true stature in the world and deploy us less!

[ftrplt]

And although I have no idea about Aussie politics,

You should have stopped at having no idea

[wessex19]

well we have to increase spending considering we now have to cover the partial cost of the Kiwis since they have almost wound up their air force in the last decade!!! With this i am refering to assisting the RNZAF in the patrolable areas to the south of NZ and their huge area of the Pacific (P3-B's), assisting with fast jet & ASW training for the RNZN, and logistical support for their peace keepers. And yes, they will win the Bledisloe and World rugby cup this year!!!

[harrogate]

Maroonman

Whereas I agree with you in principle...

"My observation - and it was nothing more than that - was that it will take time as a culture, as a nation to deliver that capability - regardless of how much money was being spent on equipment."

... they have to start somewhere, surely? As much as the capability doesn't come just by buying the equipment, it'd be a lot bloody harder to achieve it without the equipment...?

[MaroonMan4]

I have deleted my posts because on reflection (i.e. some of the subsequent posts) I really couldn't be bothered. Perhaps I was 'gobbing off' and perhaps I know nothing about Howard/Aussie politics - I certainly will not be informed, educated or enlightened with this thread. We obviously dont have anything that we can learn from each other surely, so what does it matter anyway!?

So, good luck and have fun.

;)

[harrogate]

That's an odd decision you've arrived at.

You may aswell unregister and not return to the forums ever again, if you take that attitude!

I think there's a fair bit to be learned from these threads, personally.

Shame, because I personally agreed with you in principle. Just thought I'd drop my cynicism and entertain a resolution.

[Ex F111]

Can I fly some of these nice new bits of kit?..... Oh silly me - sorry, I forgot - you give those cockpits to foreign recruits rather than allow those who serve through thick and thin to get a 'good' deal.....

[Bannock]

Slightly off thread but I am off to Australia soon and am struggling to get details out of the aussie tax man. Can any of you chaps offer some pearls of wisdom on what I should be doing with my militairy pension.
Cheers

[Ex F111]

Bannock,
Presuming that you are referring to a UK mil pension, and it is taxed upon payment......Both tax depts have an understanding not to double tax. Both Inland Revenue (IR) and Aus Tax Office (ATO) share tax info on those individuals who pay tax in the two countries - however, your TOTAL income will be utilised in Oz to determine what tax bracket to draw tax on the Australian component of your wage - ie probably the 'Top' rate - 49%?? - or something close to it if your Pension is anything worth 'retiring' on AND you get a half reasonable wage in Oz. If your wage in Oz is in a lower tax bracket - probably the case, you will get notification to pay the extra tax after Jul 1 (due by the following March each year). Annual Tax returns for all income earners are compulsary in OZ. An accountant will cost you $200 per year to assist in BASICS (recommended). Initial consultations etc will cost more in year one - just to spend the time to fully explain and document your situation.
If you pay no UK income tax on your UK pension, you will pay FULL tax on it in Australia.
I am not a financial advisor, I just have a little info on shared tax agreements. - treat ALL advice cautiously....
http://law.ato.gov.au/atolaw

[Not Long Here]

Wessex 19,

You said "With this i am refering to assisting the RNZAF in the patrolable areas to the south of NZ and their huge area of the Pacific (P3-B's), "

The RNZAF P-3 capability has remained as it always has been and we remain responsible for our own back yard.

Indeed, with our current upgrade program the Kiwi P-3s will be more capable in the Surveillance role than the Australian P-3Cs. :hmm:

[herkman]

Can someone clarify the tax situation on super in Australia, as of right now.

I was under the impression, that in the last budget Australia ruled out tax payments on super at pay out time.

This is important, as it could make a big difference to whether the guy moves or not.

Thanks

Col Tigwell

[Flight Detent]

As of right now, this is my understanding:

For all those under 60 years of age -

a 15% tax on all ingoing super! / a 15% tax on all outgoing super!

For all those over 60 years of age -

a 15% tax on all ingoing super! / no tax on all outgoing super!

And, when over the 60 start line, you are able to have your entire salary paid into super (at 15% tax ingoing), and draw on it at no tax,

that equates to 15% income tax, in lieu of whatever you are paying now!

Cheers...FD... :ok:

[wessex19]

Not Long here, having never flown the RAAF's AP-3C's could you please elaborate ............
quote
"Indeed, with our current upgrade program the Kiwi P-3s will be more capable in the Surveillance role than the Australian P-3Cs"
I can recall when I was in the first Gulf war, RNZAF's P-3B's having to pillege HMNZS Canterbury's comcen to play with other countries in the gulf. Since then I have no idea what changes have been made to the Kiwi P-3B's although I remember reading somewhere about an update program being carried out in Canada. Please enlighten me. regards Wessex19:ok:

[Not Long Here]

Wessex 19,

All RNZAF P-3Ks will be upgraded iaw:

http://www.defence.govt.nz/acquisitions-tenders/current-acquisition-projects/p-3-systems-upgrade.html

A bit of Googling may get you more info.