Page 128 - Australian Defence Magazine Dec21-Jan22

128 FROM THE SOURCE MELISSA PRICE
DECEMBER 2021-JANUARY 2022 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
MELISSA PRICE
MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY
With another tumultuous year drawing to a close, Group Editor Ewen Levick and ADM Editor Nigel Pittaway spoke with Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price to gain insight into her perspective of the year that was, as well as looking forward to what 2022 will bring.
ADM: What are your priorities, both now and in the future?
PRICE: My priorities for the next six months are very clear. As you’re aware, I’ve added the Science and Technology portfolio to my Defence Industry port- folio at a very important time and I do think the two portfolios complement each other, but even more so now given the AUKUS Agreement with the Unit- ed Kingdom and the United States. It’s vital that we link up our defence industry with our science and technol- ogy supply chains. We are looking for a capability advantage at a time when our strategic circumstances have de- teriorated. So, we need our scientists, our entrepreneurs and others working hand in hand with the UK and the US to create opportunities in cutting-edge, high-tech areas like artificial intel- ligence and quantum technology. But clearly there is also a significant body of scientific and technological work that we now have to bring forward as part of the nuclear submarine project. So, ensuring both linkages between the two portfolios is strong is going to be imperative.
PROFILE
2021 Appointed Minister for Science & Technology (additional portfolio)
2019 Appointed Minister for Defence Industry
2018 Appointed Minister for the Environment
2017 Elevated to the role of Assistant Minister for the Environment
2016 Appointed to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Defence and Trade; Coalition Defence Policy Committee and the Defence Sub-Committee
2013 Elected as Member for Durack 2008- Mining Executive
2012
2002- Lawyer/
2008 Business Development Executive 1997- Solicitor – Private Legal Practice
2002
1995- Law (Post Graduate) UWA,
1996 Perth
1991- LLB (Hons) – Southbank 1994 University, London
based on an old understanding of our strategic circumstances. So, I’m very much looking forward to David’s find- ings which I expect to receive before the end of the year.
I’m also focused on launching the new organisation, known as the Office of Defence Industry Support (ODIS), to replace the CDIC and, as you’ll be aware, this will be the shopfront for defence industry and be a single point of support for those wanting to do business with Defence. I’ll also be working to continue the implementa- tion and rollout of the enhanced AIC contractual framework.
In terms of the next 6-24 months more broadly, clearly the key focus will be the process that will take place to determine how we will acquire eight nuclear powered submarines. That work has already begun and is incredibly important for the defence of our nation.
I’ve said right from the outset, when I was appointed as the Defence Indus- try Minister, that my focus would be to back small business. That is exactly what I’ve done and that’s what I intend to continue to do.
Secondly, I’ll be awaiting the find-
ings from David Peevers’ review into
innovation, science, technology and the delivery of sover- eign capability which I have commissioned. We must have a fit-for-purpose innovation system and organisation in place to ensure that the Australian Defence Force has access to the most cutting-edge capability in the world and that’s why this review will examine the Defence organisation in its entirety to establish how it can more effectively deliver those home-grown innovative capabilities for the men and women of the ADF.
Right now, the Defence organisation’s programs and the thinking behind those programs, I believe, is outdated and
ADM: How do you define 'sovereign capability'?
PRICE: I think it’s pretty simple. It’s the ability of Austra- lian industry to directly contribute to the acquisition and sustainment of our current and future defence capability. Now, as the pandemic has demonstrated to us more than ever, it is critical that we’re able to build what we need at home when we need it, and our sovereign industrial capability plans, our SICPs, have identified the industrial
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