Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program
For a variety of reasons, the number of Parliamentarians who have had direct experience with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has diminished in recent times. The Department took the position that it needed to increase parliamentarians exposure to the ADF and provide them with an opportunity to gain an insight into the ADF and its capabilities. In turn, this was expected to assist in the facilitation of a fully informed debate on issues of national security and budgetary expenditure, an issue which has attracted increased attention in recent years as a result of world events.
The foundation of the program has been derived from the British Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme which had been operating successfully for approximately 19 years. The aim of the program is to provide Members and Senators with practical experience of the ADF so that they can play a more informed and constructive part in the Defence debate. The program has the following objectives:
• Provide an understanding of the unit's role and missions
• Provide an opportunity to experience life as a service person
• Provide an awareness and understanding of Defence capabilities, personnel and management issues
In January 2001, the Minister for Defence Hon John Moore, MP, approved an initial concept plan for the program, and in February 2001 The Hon David Hawker, MP, introduced a private Member's bill (seconded by The Hon Warren Snowdon MP) on the issue which gained bipartisan support. The pilot Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program (ADFPP) was then planned under the direction of its appointed Head, AVM Brendan O'Loghlin (Ret'd) AO. A range of attachments options were developed by the three Services and were offered to non re-electing Senators for the 2001 Parliamentary winter recess period. The Minister for Defence delegated responsibility for the Program to the Hon Dr Brendan Nelson, MP, Parliamentary Secretary, in June 2001. The Parliamentary Secretary subsequently approved seven Senators and one MP to participate in the pilot Program.
In July and August 2001, these seven parliamentarians were attached to Defence units for periods of approximately five days. The attachments consisted of the following; participation in major Naval and international exercise in the Darwin area, an Air Force maritime patrol mission, an Army Engineers Construction Squadron building accommodation and facilities for remote communities in the Northern Territory and an infantry battalion group preparing for deployment to East Timor.
The first round of attachments received overwhelmingly positive comment from various stakeholders and as a result many of the participants became strong advocates of the ADF, and in particular expressed their admiration of the organisation's people. Following the success of the pilot Program, the Minister for Defence approved its ongoing implementation in January 2002. The current head of the Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program, Commodore Trevor Jones took on the responsibilities in July 2007.
The program has been able to offer parliamentarians an opportunity to experience the diverse range of ADF activities first-hand. These have included most recently deploying to the Middle East and flying a surveillance mission on an Air Force P3-C Orion and then joining one of our Naval ships controlling and protecting vital assets in the North Arabian Gulf, and an attachment to the Special Air Services Regiment to experience first hand the rigorous qualifications training to join this elite group.
In 2003 an exchange element was introduced into the Program. Selected members of the Australian Defence Force were attached to Parliament House for a week to observe the workings of Government and spend time observing and participating in the daily work schedule of individual parliamentarians (usually from those who have participated in Program attachments). Six officers were attached in 2004 and the exchange is now a permanent part of the ADFPP, having expanded to now 12 Defence personnel from all ranks.