Page 29 - Australian Defence Magazine Dec-Jan 2021

other familiar face at ADM events, high- lighted the importance of industry in de- livering these programs.
“The key part of our workforce is ac- tually industry,” Grzeskowiak said. “The industry workforce is far bigger than our internal workforce – 8,500 people coming onto bases every day, and that’s not includ- ing people involved in major construction.”
Grzeskowiak also noted Defence’s ef- forts to improve resilience in the north.
“Over a couple of decades, we’ve leaned on facilities to the point where their resil- ience could be questioned,” Grzeskowiak said. “We’re now aiming to rebuild that resilience.”
REGIONAL MARITIME SUSTAINMENT
Captain Anthony Savage, Director of the OPV SPO and Transition Maritime Sys- tems Division for RAN, touched on how Plan Galileo aims to achieve naval sustain- ment goals to 2025 through regional main- tenance centres, including one in Darwin.
“We are using demand modelling, standardisation of contracts & systems, incentives, pre-qualification of subcon- tractors for specific tasks, and longer term contracts to improve engagement with industry,” CAPT Savage said.
DEFENCE BUSINESS NADS 29 LEFT: The RSFG’s new training centre is
now open with a range of courses on offer.
Other speakers included Dr Malcolm Davis of ASPI, who spoke on the impor- tance of space to the ADF and why Aus- tralia should develop a responsive space capability.
“The Force Structure Plan really em- phasised space in a new way,” Dr Davis said. “Attitudes in Defence have changed: it recognises that space is an operational environment, and we need to move to- wards sovereign space capability.”
If that capability was to come, the launch site in Nhulunbuy operated by Equatorial Launch Australia would be a likely candidate, as would the launch ca- pability being developed by Queensland’s Gilmour Space. ADM understands that Defence has made approaches to Gilm- our to explore the possibilities.
Ian Irving, CEO of the Naval Ship- building College, discussed their efforts to build a national network of training providers and reach out to workers in ad- jacent industries.
RFSG
Lastly, no Northern Australia Defence Summit would feel complete without the tireless Colonel John Papalitsas, head of the Regional Force Surveillance Group – but unfortunately there will be a Papalit- sas-sized hole in next year’s line-up as he comes to the end of his posting.
This year has been particularly tricky for the RFSG, who have had to maintain their role as the watchkeepers of Australia’s north – about five per cent of the Earth’s land surface – whilst also responding to the demands of the pandemic. In his final remarks, COL Papalitsas thanked his sol- diers – who are mostly Indigenous Austra- lians – for rising to the challenge.
“When the biosecurity zones went down, we needed to do more with fewer of our peo- ple,” COL Papalitsas said. “I can only thank them for their service and dedication.”
And those soldiers themselves? As we wait for next year’s summit, they’ll still be on patrol, keeping a close eye on a region that’s growing in importance each year.
“Pride, self-confidence, integrity,” one trooper said. “You take these things back to your community. That’s how we pass this down.” ■