Performance
The state’s defence key performance indicators are embedded in South Australia’s Strategic Plan, formalising its commitment to:
- increase Defence and defence industry employment to 37,000 people and annual contribution to our economy to $2.5 billion by 2020 (proposed T42)
The state is on track to exceed its defence employment target. At 30 June 2009, South Australia's defence sector employed 24,766 people.The state is projected to 30,847 defence jobs by 2013-14, well above the orginal target of 28,000.
In addition to Defence itself, the largest employers are in the following industries: equipment manufacturing, shipbuilding and engineering design – underscoring the state’s high tech defence manufacturing.
There is no standard measure to review progress against the defence economic contribution target. In 2009, Defence SA commissioned a number of studies to measure the economic impact of key defence-related activities in South Australia. Figure 2 represents the amalgamated findings of those reports, which suggest that major defence-related activities contributed around $1.21 billion to the state’s economy in 2007–08 and is expected to rise to approximately $1.94 billion by 2013–14.
A number of significant projects were also just commencing at the time of writing for which comprehensive data was not available – these include the Future Submarine project and major upgrades to the Woomera Prohibited Area and RAAF Base Edinburgh. The realisation of these projects will bring the state closer to achieving its GSP target.
The projected growth to 2013–14 highlighted by these main economic indicators is predominantly associated with the relocation of the 7RAR Battle Group to the Edinburgh Defence Precinct and the ramp up of the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) project at Techport Australia – both projects are serving as major new catalysts for defence industry expansion in South Australia over the medium term.
