Labor Twisting its Election Promises on Defence Spending

Yes, I told you so. Labor is heading in the direction of cutting its spending on Defence spending, just like I predicted (knew). Nick Minchin has a fair bit to say here.

The federal opposition has accused the government of breaking its election promise to maintain the coalition's minimum three per cent annual increase in defence spending.

Opposition defence spokesman Nick Minchin said Labor now appeared to believe that three per cent should be the ceiling for defence funding increases rather than the floor.

In its election defence policy, Labor pledged to maintain defence spending, including a minimum three per cent real growth until 2016, but said it would ensure defence dollars were spent more effectively and efficiently.

Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner on Sunday warned defence faced very considerable cost pressures.

"Even getting savings to ensure that we don't go beyond that three per cent real is a very important exercise. Yes defence is very much on the table," he told the Ten Network.

"We are scrutinising both the capability (equipment) aspects of defence spending but also the more mundane organisational bureaucratic aspects which are substantial as well."

Read the rest here.