Respect the ADF way

From CDF, ACM Angus Houston

Everybody under your command, and I mean everybody, should be treated with respect and get a fair go. That’s the Australian way – CDF.

On the first day of my appointment as CDF I drew a line in the sand. I publicly stated that neither I nor my chiefs would tolerate harassment or bullying of any sort.

On August 4 this year, I told the Senior Leadership Group:– “I expect you to get out there and ensure that your subordinates, right down to the lowest level in your organisation, are treating our people in the right way.

“Everybody under your command, and I mean everybody, should be treated with respect and get a fair go.

That’s the Australian way, that’s the ADF way and I expect to see that right across the three Services and right across the whole Defence organisation. “And when I talk about our people I’m not just talking about the permanent people, I’m also talking about our reservists and I’m also talking about civilians.”

While progress has been made in many areas, incidents of harassment, bullying and sexual offences still occur and continue to hinder the establishment of a safe and productive environment.

The continued existence of hostile attitudes and inappropriate behaviour, particularly towards women, and the toleration of these by our leaders at all levels affecting the retention of staff and the attraction of talented recruits.

Much of the solution to rests with each of you. Engaging in, or tolerating any form of harassing behaviour is a values and leadership issue.

To do either of these is fundamentally at odds with our culture and ethos.

Those who seek to be current and future leaders in our organisation must adhere to standards not only in their own conduct, but also in their response to the behaviour of others.

To observe harassing behaviour and do nothing about it is to condone it. This is not about dobbing in a mate. It is about treating everyone with the respect and courtesy that we expect to be shown.

It’s about having pride in the reputation of our own ship, unit, flight or workplace and knowing that our actions reflect not only on the ADF, our Service and Defence as a whole, but our families as well.

It’s about giving each other a fair go.

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