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Doubled in 6 years to $27m
Defence computer
cost to keep rising
The estimated coat of the Australian defence computer
complex had nearly doubled in six years — rising from
$15.5 million to $27.4 million — and would rise still
further, the Minister for Defence, Mr Fairhall, said
yesterday.
The computer project was
three years behind schedule
and would not be completed
until July, 1969, he said.
He saw no reason for
doubting the wisdoni or
proceeding with the scheme
on an integrated basis as
by the defcnce group, Mr
Fairhall said the recruiting
of suitable staff had been a
considerable problem be
cause of the rapid growth
of EDP enterprises in Aus
tralia. From 1960 to 1964,
the Defcnce EDP Centre
PROGRESSIVE COST ESTIMATES
$ MILLION
Dale of Estimate Equipment and Otlicr Total
Building Cost* (a)
Feb. 1961 for
period to June 1966
Oct. 1963 for
period to June 1966
Oct. 1964 for
period to 1967/68
Mar. 1965 for
period to 1968/69
Jan. 196S for
period to 1968/69
Expenditure at
June 30, 1966 ...
Note, fa) Maintenance, running costs, and salaries for the intro
ductory period. .Source: Minister for Defence, Mr A. Fnlrhail.
8.892
6.568
15.460
10.800
6.710
17.510
12.784
9.422
22.206
12.396
12.922
25.858
12.936
14.174
27.41(1
8.385
7.322
15.707
did not exceed 70 per cent
of the staff needed, and
turnover averaged 30 per
cent of appointments.
The Department has had
training schemcs in opera
tion since the beginning of
the project and has trained
268 programmers and 137
computer operators.
The EDP Centre is now
short of only 16 per cent
of its programmer establish
ment.
Mr Fairhnl! said that
although there have noj:
been any significant delays
in the provision of com
puter equipment, there have
been significant delays in
most of the other facilities
needed. These facilities in
clude buildings, power con
version units, air-condition
ing, and "software" systems.
I in the original
nfoposco
1 feasibility study- in
I the 'time required tolI^r°s
hc^h«ms
into the sn then
te&es
economic and Pr"uu he
sasa?- s^asss
system approach, wherever
%rj.sn?0«s
^:;v%,sun
'thMfCSrhaUS aS' appro
Wen i" February,
1961 for 'he introduction
of electronic dataproccsv
ing (EDP) .into thc thre
Armed Servl<;®®: which
Tm reco'SprVss. »».d
01 SST
strative and accounting
mwM
SSKSn..!*
study, he said.
Integrated
scheme
fhe moS advantages for the
bStp^ L
war'i ii at the time indi-1
available at . lcgrated
StesS
isi^«
'taSf'nirh.11 »id ttoi J"';1
>« the f40XCrf
iScrviccs mitmi sy>''
p"£;
(have substantial appHca
Tin 'referring'""' some of
the difficulties encountered |
$