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MAY 06 – CANBERRA – Australia
will continue to spend big money on capital equipment
to prepare Australian military forces to co-operate
with US forces in world actions like Iraq, Afghanistan
and the south-east Pacific.
The budget last week allocated $19.6 billion extra
for defence and security needs., including $2.2
billion to buy four new c-17 heavy life aricraft,
$250 million for defence forrce recruitment and
retention, $8.1 million for national security (spies),
and $389 million to combat illegal fishing.
A consortium has also lobbied the government to
employ modern low-cost airships to protect the nation's
northern borders.
A navy taskforce of three ships has been ordered
to waters off Timor to be ready to take away
people if trouble brews in that new nation between
Indonesia and Australia in northern waters. A fourth
vessel, a missile frigate, is on standby at Darwin.
– Donald Sisson, South-east Asia correspondent
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