Budget transparency turns murky

So much for the Government's "Operation Sunshine" that was supposed to make budget program expenditure more transparent and accountable.

On the biggest single program item, Defense—a staggering 2.3% of GDP or $27 billion dollars next year alone—it seems to be a case of re-negging and obscurity.

"As the first budget after a new Defence White Paper, there is a glaring absence of substantive information on funding, investment and reform. The best that can be said is that the budget is consistent with a White Paper that’s silent on when anything will occur or what things will cost. All we are offered is a vision of what the defence force will look like in 2030." Extract from Australian Strategic Policy Institute

The ASPI's chief analyst has described the Budget papers as "deliberately vague".

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