Defence Annual Report 2003-04 :: Chapter One :: Defence Governance Framework

Defence Governance Framework

Senior Committees

Defence Capability Committee

The role of the Defence Capability Committee is to consider and develop options for current and future capability. The committee focuses on individual major capital investment projects to ensure:

consistency with the Defence White Paper 2000 and the Defence Capability Plan;

a whole-of-life and whole-of-capability perspective;

an acceptable return on capital expenditure;

there are no unmanageable strategic, technical, schedule or financial risks; and

rigorous, independent scrutiny of capability, cost, schedule and risk.

In March 2004, the position of chair of the Defence Capability Committee was passed from the Vice Chief of the Defence Force/Chief Joint Operations to Chief Capability Development Group. In 2003-04, members were the Vice Chief of the Defence Force/Chief Joint Operations (chair), Chief Capability Development Group (chair), Deputy Secretary Strategy (deputy chair), a representative of the Under Secretary Defence Materiel/Chief Executive Officer Defence Materiel Organisation, Chief Defence Scientist, Chief Finance Officer, Deputy Chief of Navy, Deputy Chief of Army, Deputy Chief of Air Force, First Assistant Secretary Capability, Investment and Resources, Head Capability Systems, Head Defence Personnel Executive and Deputy Chief Information Officer.

Deputy Secretary Intelligence and Security and Deputy Secretary Corporate Services (or a representative) and a representative from the Department of Finance and Administration attend as permanently invited members.

The committee held 11 scheduled meetings in 2003-04. Attendance was as follows:

Table 1.22 Defence Capability Committee Attendance

Position and Name

Meetings Held

Meetings Attended

Vice Chief of the Defence Force/Chief Joint Operations
(Vice Admiral Russ Shalders)

6/1*

Chief Capability Development (Lieutenant General David Hurley)

Deputy Secretary Strategy (Mr Shane Carmody)

5/3*

Chief Executive Officer Defence Materiel Organisation representatives:

Dr Ian Williams

2/1*

Air Vice-Marshal John Monaghan

5/3*

Chief Defence Scientist

(Dr Ian Chessell until 7 October 2003)

(Dr Roger Lough from 8 October 2003)

7/1*

Chief Finance Officer (Mr Lloyd Bennett)

Deputy Secretary Corporate Services:

Mr Alan Henderson

Mr Mike Scrafton (representative)

Mr Michael Pezzullo (representative)

5/1*

Deputy Secretary Intelligence and Security (Mr Ron Bonighton)

4/7*

Deputy Chief of Navy

(Rear Admiral Rowan Moffitt until 4 June 2004)

7/3*

(Rear Admiral Max Hancock from 5 June 2004)

Deputy Chief of Army

(Major General Frank Roberts until 18 May 2004)

6/4*

(Major General Ian Gordon from 19 May 2004)

Deputy Chief of Air Force

(Air Vice-Marshal Chris Spence until 25 February 2004)

5/2*

(Air Vice-Marshal Roxley McLennan from 26 February 2004)

First Assistant Secretary Capability, Investment and Resources
(Dr Ralph Neumann)

Head Capability Systems (Air Vice-Marshal Kerry Clarke)

Head Defence Personnel Executive

(Rear Admiral Brian Adams)

8/1*

(Mr Peter Sharp - acting from 28 August 2003 until 7 November 2003)

2/1*

Deputy Chief Information Officer

(Rear Admiral Peter Clarke until 8 August 2003)

(Air Vice-Marshal Julie Hammer from 9 August until 23 November 2003)

(Brigadier Peter Lambert - acting from 24 November 2003)

4/1*

Department of Finance and Administration representative

* Substitute attended in place of member.

Defence People Committee

The purpose of the Defence People Committee is to provide a strategic focus on, and to be an advocate for, the important place of people in supporting Defence capability. This committee supports the Defence Committee by ensuring that Defence takes a more strategic approach to people. It is responsible for providing advice, and making recommendations, to the Defence Committee and Defence Capability and Investment Committee on strategic people issues. The committee is also responsible for recommending to the Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence the allocation of the $100m annual provision, until 2005-06, for people improvement initiatives and monitoring its expenditure.

In 2003-04, members were the Head Defence Personnel Executive (chair), Vice Chief of the Defence Force/Chief Joint Operations, Deputy Secretary Corporate Services, Deputy Chief of Navy, Deputy Chief of Army, Deputy Chief of Air Force, First Assistant Secretary Budget and Financial Planning, First Assistant Secretary Personnel and Ms Noela L' Estrange, an independent, external member of the committee.

The committee held ten scheduled business meetings in 2003-04 and one extraordinary meeting. Attendance was as follows:

Table 1.23 Defence People Committee Attendance