A MUSICAL VOYAGE - Royal Australian Navy

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Contained in this edition of RAN Band News is a copy of the Defence Paper by Lieutenant
Andrew Stokes titled People, Performance & Professionalism: How Navy’s Signature
Behaviours will manage a ‘New generation’ of Sailors. This is a thoroughly researched essay
that provides a timely reminder of other initiatives occurring throughout Navy at the
moment, and is worth a good read.
Late last year, the Navy Reserve Whole-of-Capability Workforce Review (NR WOCWR) was
established to support the challenges of Chief of Navy’s intent outlined in The Navy
Strategic Plan. One of the issues faced by the review was the significant and growing
demand being placed on the national reserve salary budget. The band contributed to that
demand with a 60 percent increase in its salary allocation during the course of the last five
years; and this is no longer sustainable.
The NR WOCWR delivered a reduction to the total number of days available for reserves
across Navy; and I was required to redistribute the band’s allocation to meet priorities
across our national program. A new business model has been developed to meet those
challenges and to enable the band to continue to deliver appropriate musical services to
Navy and sustain its future capability.
For a number of years now the New South Wales detachment has not been able to operate
without the support of musicians from the full-time Sydney detachment. Furthermore, the
type and volume of activities normally undertaken by the New South Wales detachment has
steadily decreased and other priorities have now emerged that require new ways to deliver
our musical services. From 1 July, members of the New South Wales detachment
commenced fulfilling their duties as members of a Reserve Support Element embedded
within the Sydney detachment. A separate Reserve Support Element was also established in
the Melbourne detachment. This structural change was foreshadowed by me last year and
became imperative due to the outcomes of the NR WOCWR.
As a consequence of the changes to the New South Wales detachment, I invited Petty
Officer Dennis Mercer to prepare an article for this edition of RAN Band News. In his article,
he gives a very good account of the contribution made by reserve musicians to Navy
activities in the Sydney area since the 1960s; and there have certainly been many good
achievements. Change, however, was inevitable as the detachment was no longer viable;
but I wish to stress that there is no intent to reduce the role played by reserve musicians in
Sydney or at any level within the Navy Band. I believe that the most effective way in which
to utilise the skills of Navy’s Sydney based musicians is as a fully integrated force. Reserves
musicians will continue to be used to support Navy activities within Sydney and throughout
Australia, and will maintain their important role within the Navy Band.
I also invited the Secretary of the RAN Band Association, Mr Ralph Daines, to submit a
report on the association’s visit to Singapore in support of Anzac Day ceremonies. For many
years now I have referred to the RAN Band Association as a valuable additional detachment
in the Navy Band’s capability suite. Our veteran musicians demonstrated their past record
of service very proudly whilst in Singapore, and produced a highly commendable outcome
that reflects well, not only on them, but also on the Royal Australian Navy Band.
FROM THE PR DESK
Article by Leading Seaman Tracy Kennedy
The year began with Australia Day activities, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Sea
Power Conference. The Closing and Opening ceremonies for the Sea Power Conference
were certainly met with great enthusiasm and appreciation from all guests including the
Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Russ Crane AO, CSM, RAN and other important dignitaries. After
the closing ceremony we headed to the Novotel in Darling Harbour to play for the Vice
Admiral Crane’s guests at a private event. From the balcony of the function room we had a
great view of the Australia Day fireworks and could see our drummers on top of the floating
towers in the middle of the Darling Harbour.
We then went straight into rehearsals, and a week of performances for the Edinburgh
Military Tattoo. Apart from one night where the weather stopped us from using
microphones on the field, the show ran smoothly. This year the Royal Australian Air Force
Band was in charge of the Australian Defence Force segment.
Royal Australian Navy Band: A Musical Voyage