Defence

Coordination and Public Affairs

It's in the Manual!

Karlene Sargent elaborates...

Where should you go when you need to know ... The difference between a QTB, a HIB and a MINSUB? How to write one? What 'Renewal' is? How to access media awareness training? What the higher Defence structure looks like? What to do if you sit on an inter-departmental committee? Where to find a media release?

It's simple. Let your fingers do the walking.

The Defence Intranet is a portal to information for just about anything you want or need to know in Defence. That's why Coordination and Public Affairs (CPA) Division has published the CPA Manual as an information resource for all Defence personnel. It is also the homepage of the Chief of Staff Australian Defence Headquarters and Head, CPA Division. The Manual houses information relating to the provision of advice to Government, governance, renewal, internal communications, coordination and public affairs.

Essentially a 'live' site, the CPA Manual is regularly updated to ensure that it reflects the latest developments in policy and changes to existing guidance.

What are the six behaviours that underpin the achievement of the Defence Priorities 2005? Come to that, what are the Defence Priorities for 2005? What was their origin and what is their intent? The Coordination, Governance and Renewal (CGR) section of the CPA Manual provides information about the Defence Priorities, as well as a suite of ongoing activities that focus on the practical application of renewal in Defence. And, of course, a link to the online version of this magazine. In this section you'll find resources ranging from advice on how to run effective meetings in Defence, to information on the development of a government awareness strategy aimed at enhancing Defence's reputation with Government.

Speaking of our reputation with Government... Ever had an orange folder land in your in-tray? Do you know what to do with its contents? The processes, cycles and documents that form the basis of providing advice to Government sometimes seem like a complicated web of intrigue that only a privileged few know how to untangle.

By providing guidance for the full complement of Ministerial and Governmental advice documents - including templates, clearance processes, timeframes, handling, record keeping, style, deadlines and committee structures - the Ministerial and Executive Services (MES) section of the CPA Manual has the potential to become your new favourite intranet site. Literally!

Everything you need to know about providing advice to Government is stepped out in a series of user-friendly links. Similarly, all relevant policy and external sites may also be accessed through links provided in the MES section.

So, it's out with the old, in with the new. The MES section of the CPA Manual is your one-stop-shop and primary reference point for the preparation of advice to Government, and replaces the April 2002 'Ministerial and Parliamentary Handbook'.

Where do you go when you want to know how to draft a media release, to find out what the guidelines are for Defence branding, or to search for back-issues of the Navy, Army or Air Force News? The Public Affairs pages of the CPA Manual are also home to Ministerial and Departmental media releases and list a comprehensive range of training opportunities in the public relations field.

If an understanding of public affairs and how to handle the media are 'must haves' for your job, the CPA Manual is the resource you've been looking for. If understanding how Defence - particularly at the headquarters level - is sharpening its coordination capacity is of interest to you, the 'Coordination' pages of the CPA Manual step through a suite of products that, together, assist in the provision of timely, accurate, considered and coordinated advice to Government.

Importantly, the coordination function provides a platform for a whole-of-Defence approach to issues and reputation management. Key products in this process are detailed within the Coordination pages, including the Daily Issues Report, the Events of Interest Report and the Defence Calendar.

And while you're inside the CGR section of the site, you'll also find all you need to know about Emotional Intelligence, the Defence Values and how to get on a 'Results through People' workshop in the 'Renewal' pages. If you're interested in knowing what the 'head shed' is thinking, updates on the program of senior leadership events are posted within the 'Internal Communications' pages, along with links to other communications products including the Defence Priorities 2005.

The CPA Manual is a work in progress - as new information or guidance comes to light, Heather Partridge (CPA's Webmaster) ensures that all across Defence have access to it through the pages of the Manual. Log on and tell us if you can't find what you're looking for...
http://intranet.defence.gov.au/cpa/

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