Facts are important.
The radar is a good radar, it's a Raytheon system and it is of world standard that reaches or exceeds the Thales product. The specs achieve RAAF standards and the radar is for RAAF ATC at Darwin and Tindal. It is not designed as a free service for AsA purposes. The interface with the AsA system is an AsA problem for AsA to fix and maintain. If the specs do not match then this is an AsA problem not a RAAF problem.
Airspace management is not so much a political matter but more a commercial aspect. If AsA increases airspace and enables increased charges and gets increased defence dollars for improving/upgrading infrastructure by providing services that defence was providing (free) then AsA commercial profit is synthetically improved.
Bonuses are connected to profit.
Merely by moving tax dollars from one organisation to another. Airspace management is being marketed by AsA to the politicians as "in the National interest". The future will be the judge.
The success of Darwin, Darwin radar service and RAAF traffic management is anathema to this plan by AsA.
ADS-B will support en-route traffic but will not replace Primary radar at capital cities and certainly not in NortherniAustralia foribovious safety and defence reasons. ADS-B is a dependant system andwillthereforent pick up non-transponder aircraft such as VCA's
The Darwin airspace, as with much airspace and traffic managed by RAAF ATC is specialised and quite different to that being controlled by civilian ATC. Local Darwin traffic have long considered that Darwin is just an N.T. bush strip where if they lose 2 minutes on a trip out goes the profit; and often this is true. But Darwin provides a service to more than just the parochial local traffic. Darwin is a one of the most diverse, complex and busiest international aerodromes per controller in the country during a military exercise. Darwin traffic management strategies must accommodate a variance that often needs an ability to increase to a high-workload-tactical methodology at short notice. RAAF ATC are skilled at tactical control and skilled at managing and prioritising multiple Mayday and Pan emergencies from civilian and military aircraft in exceptionally busy environments. Civilian ATC does not have such variance, steepness of workload peaks and troughs. Civilian-only traffic is generally and easily programmed and predictable.
The MAG signs at Darwin have for too many years been a vexatious issue between Defence and the Airport owner. Someone needs to bite the bullet and come to a funding-sharing agreement to pay for the damned things.
The context of these and other variables are important in order to understand the full implications of the commercial and operational landscape. There's more and pehaps others may wish to elaborate.
I am not an ADF controller. Have a fabulous day.