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While governments often engage in substantial spending, these are usually guarded by high hopes or strategic interests. However, it's rare for such a significant service for Australian soldiers to face cuts, especially when the expenditure involved—just $1.5 million—is trivial compared to the overall defense budget of approximately $59 billion or the welfare budget of $291 billion. The decision appears especially perplexing given the program's extensive history and the deep relationships it fostered among military personnel and the Salvation Army's volunteers.