Katherine Ziesing | Canberra
The Defence plus Industry conference has gone back to its roots in Canberra this week. With no trade show and just a straight Ted Talk style format, including a number of interactive Q&A panels, the conference was well attended with 1,200 people in the room. With a theme of Fundamental Inputs to Capability, the program was a balance of government speakers and industry players.
Many of the government speakers focused on the changes being wrought in the organisation under the First Principles Review framework, some of which are in place and many of which are still being bedded down.
“The new innovation ecosystem is in the pipeline and should be up and running within the next six months, mainly under the Centre for Defence Industry Capability and the Innovation Hub,” First Assistant Secretary Defence Industry Policy Division, Kate Louis explained.
"[Smart Buyer] means risk, and it means embracing that risk."
Speaking on the development of the new capability lifecycle, Vice Chief of the Defence Force Vice Admiral Ray Griggs said that the final touches were being put on the framework but the overall concept is understood. Perhaps of most interest to readers is the fact that Gate 0 is an internal ‘touchpoint’ to Defence but programs are able to go directly to second pass from Gate 0. The process is looking at reducing the complexity of non-complex programs with VADM Griggs saying that “no brainers should be treated as such without wasting 2-3 years to confirm that”.
This sentiment was echoed by Thales Australia CEO Chris Jenkins who highlighted that “process on process does not deliver value to either Defence or industry, quite the opposite”.
“Industry has the obligation to support this organisational change in Defence and take the opportunity to improve ourselves too,” Jenkins told the crowd.
CASG chief Kim Gillis participated in a number of the Q&A panels and was blunt in his assessment of Smart Buyer and what it means for Defence.
“It means risk, and it means embracing that risk,” Gillis said. “Smart Buyer is going to require a greater level of industry engagement. Industry has to act like a FIC and we have to treat them like one too.”
He acknowledged that success in this framework means that both parties have to be invested in the success of each other. A lot of trust in many circles needs to be built in order for this to occur.
The quote of the day however has to go to Tectonica managing director David Levy – “Nothing fosters innovation more than a purchase order”. And that garnered the loudest applause of the event.
ADM Comment: It was great to see D+I actually be Defence and Industry rather than Industry + Industry as the previous format had evolved into. Anecdotal reports indicated the roundtables the day before the main event were well attended and widely supported. The intangible feeling in the room was broadly positive. There were hits and misses with the presenters, which is only to be expected, but the format was excellent as were the majority of presentations.
The anonymous Q&A system for submitting questions via text or a website was a positive addition to the format, keeping the sessions flowing well.
Gillis confirmed that the event will be held in Canberra again next year, but is open to moving it after that time.