Annual Report 2003-04

Freedom of Information

Arrangements for Outside Participation

Australian Defence Human Research Ethics Committee

The Committee's mission is to promote and encourage ethical health research in the military context, with responsibility for the review and monitoring of all human research in Defence. It is structured in accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council's national statement on ethical conduct in research involving human participants and comprises, at the minimum, the following:

• a chairperson
• at least one member who is a lay man and one member who is a lay woman who have no affiliation with Defence and are not currently involved in medical scientific or legal work
• at least one member with knowledge of, and current experience in, the areas of research that are regularly considered by the committee
• at least one member with knowledge of, and current experience in, the professional care, counselling or treatment of people
• at least one member who is a minister of religion or a person who performs a similar role in a community, such as an aboriginal elder
• at least one member who is a lawyer
• two health graduates from Defence (at least one being a medical graduate); and
• a secretary, being a staff officer nominated by the Director-General Defence Health Service.

Citizens in Support of Reserve Forces (Trust) Fund

The Fund was established through a trust deed. In recent times, the work of the trust has been almost exclusively to provide financial support for the Prince of Wales Award. There are four external trustees.

Commercial Support Consultative Forum

This is a forum between Defence, industry and unions for the discussion of ideas and the cooperative resolution of issues related to the broader Defence commercial support activities, including initiatives such as market testing and private financing.

Defence Families Association

The Association was established in 1987 with the purpose of improving the quality of life for Service families by providing them with a forum for expressing their views, for reporting and making recommendations to the Chief of the Defence Force, and for influencing policy affecting Service families.

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Defence Health Consultative Group

The role of the Group is to establish, at a senior level, formal liaison between Defence and appropriate civilian authorities and to provide advice on major professional health matters of relevance to Defence. The group comprises the Surgeon-General of the ADF, the Director-General Defence Health Service and representatives from other departments and professional bodies, including the Australian Medical and Dental Associations and the Royal College of Nursing Australia.

Defence Reserves Support Council

The Council aims to promote the benefits of Reserve service to the community. As well as spreading the word informally about Reserve service, it sponsors a number of specific activities to encourage business support.

Environmental Advisory Committees

These Committees provide advice on environmental matters relating to Defence areas including Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Queensland; Garden Island, Western Australia; Greenbank Training Area and Wide Bay Training Area, Queensland; and Mount Bundy Training Area and Bradshaw Field Training Area, Northern Territory. The Committees consist of representatives from Defence, the local community and business organisations.

National Workplace Relations Committee

The Committee, established under the Defence Employees Certified Agreement 2000-01, and reaffirmed under the Defence Employees Certified Agreement 2004-06, continues to deal with a wide range of employment matters affecting Defence civilian employees. It involves representatives of departmental employees who may be union members.

Royal Australian Air Force Veterans' Trust

The Trust's purpose is to provide residences so that former members of the Royal Australian Air Force and their dependants in circumstances of need can be accommodated and supported. There are three external members of the trust with previous Air Force service or private industry experience.

Woomera Consultative Committee

The Committee advises Defence on matters relating to the management of Woomera, South Australia, and includes representatives from Defence and the Woomera Board, which comprises appointed and elected residents of Woomera.

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