Media Release

Excellent progress has been made in implementing the initiatives contained in the June 1998 Defence and Industry Strategic Policy Statement.

The Head of Industry and Procurement Infrastructure Division, Dr Graham Kearns, today said the first meeting of the Defence and Industry Advisory Council (DIAC), last week was 'a significant milestone in achieving the initiatives contained in the 1998 policy statement'.

The inaugural meeting of DIAC was held at Parliament House, Canberra, on December 9.

Dr Kearns said the policy statement remains a watershed in Government relations with industry.

"It directly addresses a range of issues raised in industry and Defence," he said. "The measures the policy promotes will be key drivers of cultural change, affecting fundamentally the way Defence and industry interact."

The policy commits the Defence Organisation to improving the relationship between Defence and industry through implementation of 49 key initiatives.

"Forty-four initiatives have now been accomplished, seven of which are ongoing," Dr Kearns said. "The remaining five tasks, including the publishing of the public discussion paper on the F/A18 fighter fleet, developing an officer exchange program with industry (also a recommendation of the McIntosh/Prescott Review) and the last 'big ticket' item, establishing a defence product endorsement scheme - are progressing well. The last two should be completed this month (Dec )."

Notable achievements include:

· Expanding and updating a number of key defence industry publications including the Unclassified Pink Book;

· Establishing a network of fora including the DIAC, the Industry Policy Consultative Forum, and the Capability Development Advisory Forum;

· Broadening the Capability and technology Demonstrator Program;

· Developing a new Intellectual Property policy, drawing on input from industry;

· Developing a Partnering Charter, considered at the first meeting of the DIAC;

· Running a serious of workshops concerning development, implementation, management and evaluation of Australian Industry Involvement Plans;

· Providing funding to support the Australian Industry Defence Network; and

· Developing a code of ethics to guide the relationship between prime contractors and small to medium enterprises. Industry Associations stook the lead on this initiative.

"The impact of these initiatives is beginning to be felt within Defence and industry," Dr Kearns said. "For example, more than 10,000 copies of the Unclassified Pink Book have been distributed of which 8000 have been downloaded from the Defence Acquisition Organisation website.

"Given the importance of the policy statement and its central theme of a defence and industry partnership to provide for the nation's security, it is time to build on the good progress already made."

Dr Kearns said new policy initiatives are being developed and a major statement on these can be expected in the next few months.

"One such initiative is a renewed emphasis on increasing defence related exports and R&D expenditure through Major Capital Equipment projects."

A full status report on progress of all 49 initiatives can be found through the DAO website www.defence.gov.au/dao along with the Policy Statement Implementation Plan, June 1999.

Further information:

Deirdre Morton (02) 6265 7392

Issued by the Defence Public Affairs Organisation, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT, 2600

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