Page 138 - Australian Defence Magazine Dec21-Jan22

138 FROM THE SOURCE MELISSA PRICE
DECEMBER 2021-JANUARY 2022 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
systems and artificial challenges, that’s one. Number two is precision guided munitions, which includes hypersonic weapons and integrated air and missile defence systems. Number three is space and number four is information warfare and cyber capabilities. These are all areas where Australian industry can grow and deliver stronger sover- eign industrial capability.
ADM; Finally, what is your greatest achievement in these last few years?
PRICE: I believe I’ve been successful in achieving a stron- ger focus on the importance and significance of our sov- ereign industrial capability priorities. During my time in the portfolio, we’ve created a really strong framework for the review and also the adoption of the SICPs. It’s nev- er been more important to build what we need at home when we need it and this has been extremely important in helping us to achieve that goal. At the same time, we have made important changes to AIC as part of my five pillars approach to growing our defence industry. There’s been a new and enhanced AIC contractual framework, independent AIC plan of audit program and, of course, the upgrade to the Commonwealth procurement rules guidelines.
These changes encapsulate my vision and approach to changing the way we support and do business with defence industry and they have led to significant cultural change within the Department of Defence on the importance of AIC, on the importance of the SICPs which has been very rewarding. ■
BELOW: Army’s new Australian-designed Hawkei protected vehicle is ready to enter full-rate production at the Thales Protected Vehicles facility in Bendigo
“DEFENCE IS CURRENTLY EXPLORING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROGRAM TO ENGAGE MORE INDIGENOUS BUSINESSES IN DEFENCE INDUSTRY”
One of the strengths of Australian industry is its ability and willingness to partner to deliver capability outcomes. One of the challenges is the size of many Australian companies relative to overseas defence industry. If Austra- lian defence industry is to achieve the scale and capacity required to support the Australian Defence Force, not just through accessing overseas markets here in Australia, we need to scale up the number of Tier 2 companies in Australia, and this might be through partnerships and joint ventures here
in Australia or partnering with overseas industry to access markets, leveraging the strength of Australian industry to deliver larger elements of capability. This will enable de- fence industry to scale up and develop more complete and sophisticated solutions in support of the Australian De- fence Force and our allies and our close partners.
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