Senior Committee Structure
The senior Defence committees are key elements in Defence's governance framework. All senior Defence committees are advisory, with the chair exercising executive authority. In 2005–06, there were eight senior Defence committees. The roles of each senior committee are explained below.
Lists of members of, and attendance at, committee meetings are available in the internet version of the annual report at www.defence.gov.au/annualreports.
Defence Committee
The Defence Committee is Defence's major advisory body. It is chaired by the Secretary, and provides advice to the Secretary and the Chief of the Defence Force in their decision-making capacity. This includes the evaluation of the Defence Management and Finance Plan, the Defence Capability Plan, and periodic strategic reviews and Defence White Paper reports. The Defence Committee gives direction and assesses performance in delivering the results specified in the Ministerial Directive to the Secretary and the Chief of the Defence Force, with a focus on the longer term.
Chart 1.2: Defence Senior Committee Structure
Chiefs of Service Committee
The Chiefs of Service Committee provides military advice to the Chief of the Defence Force to assist him in commanding the ADF and providing military advice to the Government.
Defence Capability and Investment Committee
The Defence Capability and Investment Committee's role is to strengthen review of major capability and investment issues by seeking to ensure that resourcing, including capital investment and operating costs, is consistent with Defence's strategic priorities and resourcing strategy.
Defence Capability Committee
The role of the Defence Capability Committee is to consider and develop options for current and future capability. The committee is a sub-committee of the Defence Capability and Investment Committee and focuses on individual major capital investment projects.
Defence Audit Committee
Under Section 46 of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997, the Secretary must establish and maintain an audit committee, with the functions and responsibilities required by the Finance Minister's Orders. The Defence Audit Committee has its authority in law. The Defence Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing the preparation and audit of the Defence financial statements, and providing advice to the Secretary on the adequacy of the statements and the accounting policies, procedures and systems involved. The committee approves internal audit plans and strategies, and reviews internal and external audit reports. It also monitors and provides advice to the Secretary on Defence's risk management policies and practices, ethics awareness activities and fraud control plans. The committee includes three external members with appropriate accounting and audit experience, one of whom is the Chair.
Defence People Committee
The purpose of the Defence People Committee is to provide a strategic focus on, and to be an advocate for, the importance of people in supporting Defence capability. This committee is responsible for providing advice and making recommendations on strategic people issues to the Defence Committee and Defence Capability and Investment Committee. The committee is also responsible for overseeing the Defence Workforce and People Plans, including the consideration of initiatives to assist with the retention and recruitment of ADF personnel, particularly in identified critical categories.
Defence Information Environment Committee
The Defence Information Environment Committee is responsible to the Defence Committee on all issues related to the adequacy of performance and management arrangements for the Defence information environment.
Defence Occupational Health and Safety Committee
The Defence Occupational Health and Safety Committee is responsible to the Defence Committee on all issues related to occupational health and safety including strategic planning, compliance to internal and external arrangements and monitoring the risks to people's wellbeing.