Page 24 - Australian Defence Magazine April-May 2021

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DEFENCE BUSINESS CONGRESS
APRIL-MAY 2021 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
A CAUTIOUS CONGRESS
Amid ongoing restrictions imposed by COVID-19, ADM’s 18th annual Congress was held at the National Convention Centre, Canberra, on February 3.
JULIAN KERR & NIGEL PITTAWAY | CANBERRA
THE event was conducted in accordance with public health regulations and delegates had the choice of attending in person or via video-link. These restrictions resulted in some speakers delivering their presentations via video-link due to self-quarantine requirements, but overall attendance was nevertheless strong, with around 450 delegates (includ- ing on-line attendees) registered.
The day kicked off with a ministerial address from Min- ister for Defence Industry, Melissa Price, via a recorded video presentation thanks to being caught in the WA snap lockdown over the preceding weekend.
The impact of COVID-19 was a theme running through many presentations and Minister Price set the scene when she noted that 2020 was a difficult time for all Australians, and no industry or business was left untouched.
“Importantly, the government continued to back defence industry as part of our economic recovery measures,” she said. “Supporting defence industry throughout COVID-19 has been my highest priority. I hosted weekly calls with primes, SMEs, industry associations and state and territory defence advocates and senior Defence officials.”
Minister Price revealed Defence has fast-tracked “more than $21 billion” in invoices since March 2020 to stimu- late economic activity. She added the “most consequential” event of 2020 in defence terms, was the release of the De- fence Strategic Update and Force Structure Plan.
“The Government has committed to invest $270 billion over ten years to upgrade the capability and potency of the ADF, including a $3 billion investment in Defence science, innovation and technology,” she said. “(These are) invest- ments which represent opportunities for Australian busi- nesses to deliver emerging technologies – from space-based capabilities to autonomous systems.”
Keynote addresses from Head Land Capability, Major General Simon Stuart and Deputy Secretary National Na- val Shipbuilding Tony Dalton followed the Minister’s pre- sentation, with the former standing in for Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Rick Burr.
MAJGEN Stuart provided an update on Army’s contribu- tion to Defence strategy in 2020, confirming strategic con- text and the demands of the Joint Force. He then outlined how Army is meeting the challenges of today and tomorrow through its modernisation efforts; and finally, how Army sees its relationship with the wider ADF and industry.
Emphasising the need to ensure Defence remains fit for purpose in the current strategic context, MAJGEN Stuart said protecting Australia’s national interests is a team sport.
“The geography, demography, political climate and history of the Indo-Pacific, combine to shape our environment, and the environment is a challenging one,” he said. “We know that Australia’s continued engagement and close work with re- gional partners is essential and non-discretionary, and we will continue to build on our long history of regional engagement.”
Following MAJGEN Stuart’s address, Tony Dalton pro- vided an update on Australia’s Naval shipbuilding enter- prise via video-link. Dalton noted that, at the present time, the Attack-class submarine program was in design, four Arafura-class OPVs are in construction, and the Hunter- class frigate program will transition into the prototyping phase in December. Looking to the future.
He also noted a future destroyer build program to even- tually replace the Hobart-class vessels which have recently entered service.
“Ship 10 in the continuous build of surface combatants at Osborne will be the replacement for HMAS Hobart,” he said. “And the FSP is already forecasting the design effort that will go in to build that ship in the mid-2040s.”
Chief Defence Scientist, Professor Tanya Monro was the last keynote speaker in the first session with an insight into next generation technology and capability innovation. A key enabler of this will be a Defence-wide capability in-
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