Edition 5504, March 15, 2012 - Department of Defence

02 March 15, 2012
NEWS
Reviews herald change
Committment on cultural challenges
Cpl Max Bree
CHANGE is on the way after the
release of a series of reviews delving
into Defence culture in Canberra on
March 7.
Defence Minister Stephen
Smith, CDF GEN David Hurley and
Defence Secretary Duncan Lewis
released six reviews covering the
personal conduct of ADF personnel,
use of alcohol in the ADF, use of
social media in Defence, Defence
public service women’s leadership
pathways, management of incidents
and complaints, and allegations of
sexual and other abuse in Defence.
A report into the ADFA ‘Skype
incident’ which prompted the culture
reviews will not be made public
because of privacy concerns and an
ongoing police investigation.
GEN Hurley said the reviews
reflected the culture within Defence.
“The ADF has had a mirror in
the form of six reviews held up to it
over the past 11 months. As any of
us normally do when we look into a
mirror, we see strengths and we see
flaws,” he said.
Director
David Edlington
(02) 6265 4650
Editor
Michael Weaver
(02) 6266 7707
Production Editor
Sharon Palmer
(02) 6266 7612
Reporters
Michael Brooke: (02) 9359 2494
LSIS Paul Berry: (02) 6266 7606
SGT Andrew Hetherington: (02) 6266 7614
CPL Max Bree: (02) 6266 7608
CPL Melanie Schinkel: (02) 6265 2427
CPL Nick Wiseman: (02) 6265 4140
In response to the culture
reviews, Defence has produced a
strategy, The Pathway to Change:
Evolving Defence Culture. The strategy
outlines steps toward culture
change, including re-examining the
organisation’s values, reviewing the
handling of misconduct and diversifying
the senior leadership group.
“The type of deep and far-reaching
reform we are seeking will take
time and a sustained effort from all
Defence staff over many years,”
GEN Hurley said.
“But make no mistake – we are
committed to tackling our cultural
challenges at their source.”
He said recommendations
from the review into the treatment
of women at ADFA were already
being implemented, including a new
residential support officer scheme,
which puts junior officers in their
final years at ADFA in place to provide
live-in supervision and peer
support for cadets.
“As Defence members we understand
that we are quite rightly held
to higher standards and greater
scrutiny than the majority of the
Stokers off and
racing with FPR
LSIS Paul Berry
TWO MT sailors with unique internships
have had a dream start in the 2012 Ford
Performance Racing (FPR) V8 Supercar
Industry outplacement program.
PO Clint MacGregor and LS Ash
Schmidt met with FPR team leaders on
February 20 and were put straight to work
at the FPR Victorian workshop.
As a result of their hard work, Team
Navy driver Chaz Mostert dominated
round one of the Dunlop V8 Supercars
Series in Adelaide on the weekend of
March 3-4.
The Ford Performance Racing young
gun drove his V8 to victory in both races,
placing the Team Navy Falcon FG on top
of the championship table.
POMT MacGregor said their first
week on the job had been momentous.
“What struck us was the level of professionalism,”
PO MacGregor said.
“Ash and I were blown away with
their work ethic and skill and knew that
we would love working here.”
LS Schmidt was put to task in the
composite workshop, producing glass
reinforced plastic and carbon fibre components
for the V8 Supercar.
PO MacGregor started work on
a $500,000 Computer Numerated
Controlled machine, machining intricate
components for the race car sub-frame
assembly and internal cabin.
The pair will rotate through FPR
workshops during the next 12 months and
will provide pit crew support at almost
every race meeting for the season.
“We have seen the similarities
involved in getting the cars ready for the
Clipsal 500 (Adelaide, March 1-4) and
getting our own ships ready for sea after
maintenance periods.”
CPL Mark Doran: (02) 6265 1304
LAC Bill Solomou: (02) 6265 1355
Andrew Stackpool: (02) 6266 7611
CONTACT US
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Australian society,” GEN Hurley
said.
“And while we strive for a clean
record, if things do go wrong, we
must be able to demonstrate that we
have the moral courage to act and
the ability to respond in an appropriate
and timely manner.”
The reviews made 109 recommendations.
Of these, 85 have been
fully accepted by Defence. The
remaining 24 have been accepted in
principle.
The reviews were initiated last
year after an incident in which a
male ADFA officer cadet streamed
internet video of consensual sex with
a female cadet to cadets in another
room without the woman’s knowledge.
ADFA Commandant CDRE
Bruce Kafer has resumed his duties
after the Kirkham Inquiry into the
incident found no wrongdoing with
his handling of the matter.
The reports can be viewed online at:
www.defence.gov.au/culturereviews
Navy
Reports released in full were:
Personal conduct of ADF personnel –
Found members were aware of the expectations
on them and a relatively small number failed to
live up to those standards. Its recommendations
included simplifying policy and the complaints
process.
Use of alcohol in the ADF –
Recommendations included a review of alcohol
prices at ADF bases and preparation of an
evidence-based alcohol management strategy
for Defence.
Use of social media in Defence –
Recommended a review of all ADF policies in
relation to social media and a review of social
media training within Defence.
Defence APS women’s leadership pathways
– As a result of the report Defence will begin
a rotation program for senior women at Senior
Executive Service Band 2/3 with the broader
APS and establish a central maternity leave
pool to manage the full-time equivalent liability
associated with maternity leave.
Management of incidents and complaints
– Recommended Defence reduce the current
backlog of grievances, simplify training
and information on complaint and develop an
improved process to manage grievances.
The report of the review into allegations of sexual
and other abuse in Defence, was redacted for
privacy reasons.
THEY’RE RACING: POMT Clint MacGregor and LSMT
Ash Schmidt (pictured left) in the FPR workshop; and
(main) Chas Mostert takes the chequered flag in
Adelaide.
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Navy News.
IN BRIEF
Anzac tender
A $300 MILLION
maintenance and repair
contract for the Anzac Class
Frigates has been awarded
to Naval Ship Management
Australia. The five-year
contract will provide better
outcomes for industry and
a more effective, value-formoney
outcomes for Navy.
The announcement follows
extensive consultation with
industry on a new approach
to contracts for repair and
maintenance. In contrast to
the previous arrangements
which required every new
maintenance activity to be
individually contracted out,
the grouping of ship repair
and maintenance tasks offers
the potential for significant
cost savings. Contract
negotiations are expected to
be finalised by June.
Ride for museum
TO MARK the 50th
anniversary of Australia’s first
involvement in the Vietnam
war, the inaugural Tour of
Duty bicycle event is being
run by Vetride. Participants
are riding from Echuca
to Melbourne over four
consecutive days and include
a field of nearly 50 riders,
including an ex-RAN Vietnam
veteran. More information
can be accessed at http://
vetride@vvaavic.org.au/ or
through organiser Maurie
Benson by phoning 0417 588
886.
Reserves’ subsidy
RESERVISTS receiving
subsidies under the Defence
Home Ownership Assistance
Scheme (DHOAS) must
provide effective service to
ensure their entitlements
don’t change, according to
Relocations and Housing
Director Alan McClelland. “If
a reservist fails to perform
20 or more reserve days in a
service year, the member’s
continued eligibility or
entitlement to the DHOAS
subsidy could be adversely
affected,” Mr McClelland
said. Reservists should
notify the Department of
Veterans’ Affairs if they are
unable to meet the effective
service requirement. A DVA
representative will be able to
discuss the options available
to individual members. For
more information go to www.
dhoas.gov.au or call
1300 434 627.
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