Defence

Feature

New business centre to deliver improved efficiency

Greg Hilliard, Manager Defence Business Centre Townsville, Kerry Ward, Team Leader Personnel Movement Coordination Centre (PMCC); Frank Roberts, Head National Operations Division; and Toni Ellis, Team Leader International and Domestic Travel.

The official cake for the opening of the Defence Business Centre Townsville. It displayed the major stakeholders within the new Defence Travel Model, and Army and Navy PMCC.

On 15 May 2006 Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Senator Sandy Macdonald, officially opened the Defence Business Centre at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville.

An initiative of the Corporate Services and Infrastructure Group's (CSIG) Business Improvement Program, this new centre will streamline the processing of travel-related business services provided to Australian Defence Force and Defence civilian personnel across Australia.

'The pooling of these services in one location means an improvement in efficiencies and a lowering of costs,' Senator Macdonald said.

'In addition to employment opportunities for local residents and the spouses of members of the ADF, the centre provides a stronger and more consistent level of service to Defence personnel in a more efficient and robust manner.

'Townsville, with its strong Defence community, is an ideal location for this business centre. Initially, the centre will be staffed by nearly 40 personnel, who have been recruited locally.'

The Defence Business Centre Townsville team celebrate their first 'Tropical Friday' in the new centre.
Photos courtesy of CSIG

The business centre opening is part of CSIG's Travel Improvement Project—one of the many projects that make up the Business Improvement Program being driven by CSIG. This initiative is reforming the way in which travel is managed in Defence, and the way in which Defence personnel undertake travel.

The first phase of this project saw the introduction of a Defence Travel Card, enabling travellers to use a Diners card to pay for most of their travel requirements. There are now over 43 500 travel cards in use throughout Defence. Use of the card is resulting in efficiencies and savings, including GST credits. The establishment of the Defence Business Centre Townsville is further progress to centralise travel management in Defence.

Defence's other business centre, to be located in the vicinity of RAAF Williamtown, will be responsible for centralised personnel administration activities. It is expected to open in late 2007.

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