The pair reported that $797 million had been saved in this financial year alone from the 15 savings streams identified.
The plan to convert 700 contractors to APS staff is going well with 245 positions already transferred, while the civilianisation of 500-600 military places between 2010 to 2014 continues apace.
Houston was quick to point out that military numbers over the cycle would increase overall, as would civilian places, with re-training and redeployment to be undertaken where possible.
Watt highlighted that the contractor to APS move was a government-wide initiative as part of the Gershon ICT review but contractors would always have their place in Defence business.
When questioned on how the SRP goals were going to be reported, Watt confirmed that the Defence portfolio budget papers would be going back to a 10-year forecast (much to the relief of ASPI's Mark Thomson, ADM suspects) but without explicit SRP elements, as well as an increased emphasis in the Defence annual report and Senate Estimates process.