Air Force's delegates to the recent Defence Senior Leadership Summit in Canberra are ready to focus the Defence renewal agenda on delivering real results for Defence and for its people.

Air Force's team at the Senior Leadership (AIRCDRE and above) supported a call from the floor when one delegate to the 230-strong Senior Leadership called on Defence to adopt the 'Just Do It' sentiment when it comes to renewal agenda.

The call, supported by CDF, the Secretary and the Service Chiefs, sets the stage for a stronger focus on delivering the benefits of renewal throughout Defence. The focus is now firmly on making it happen.

Addressing the gathering the Secretary, Dr Hawke, said, 'We (he and CDF) want you to stand eye-ball to eye-ball with your people and listen to them… Talk to your people - find out if there are simpler, shorter, more effective ways of getting things done. Have them consider our practices, processes, systems and procedures - encourage them to suggest imaginative and new ways of working and means of making their jobs more satisfying. There are no constraints - challenge anything and everything.'

The two-day Summit was the latest in a series of workshop events started in 2000, where senior Air Force Officers can share ideas with their Navy, Army and civilian counterparts, to find better ways to deliver Defence capability, both now and into the future.

While the event's focus was firmly on renewal it was also an opportunity for the Senior Leadership to 'clear the air' about recent events which have dogged Defence.

A frank discussion by CDF, supported by the Secretary and the Service Chiefs, left delegates in no doubt that while the children overboard issue had an impact, it was something that Defence could, and would, deal with.

By Ian Paterson