Joint strike fighter $14bn leap of faith: Bandt
Greens Acting Leader Adam Bandt today said that Tony Abbott’s plan to spend close to $14 billion on 58 plagued joint strike fighter jets was a poor use of taxpayer funds at a time of supposed Budget restraint.
“Tony Abbott’s priority should be pensions not poorly performing planes,” said Mr Bandt.
“Tony Abbott is taking us on a $14bn leap of faith. So much for the Budget emergency.
“The JSF project has been plagued by delays, overruns and blowouts. There are even doubts about the jet’s performance capability.
“The Government should be 100% certain before spending close to $14 billion of taxpayers’ money that the jets are fit for purpose and genuinely in the national interest. “There are too many uncertainties over this project for Australia to commit to it in this way,” said Mr Bandt.