I liked this from the same article which is what everyone has been saying.
"The cable, sent in August last year, also reveals US diplomats believe Australia should stop awarding contracts to domestic defence companies - an act that may lead to their collapse and big job losses - and procure more equipment from American companies to achieve greater value for money."
and
"However, US diplomats reported to Washington their belief that the Australian military is beset with ''ingrained problems'' involving ''poor budgeting, cost overruns and delays in delivering new equipment exacerbated by efforts to prop up local defence industries''
''While the defence white paper presents a bold force upgrade, funding is uncertain … if Defence can find the political will to reform inefficient budgeting and programming, particularly by procuring from the US rather than domestically, it will be able to achieve the needed savings to pursue its ambitious plans.'' The cable quoted a unnamed senior Treasury official saying the Defence's ''budgeting and execution is the worst in the federal government''."