The Australian Industry & Defence Network (AIDN), Australia’s largest national defence advocacy group representing small business, has appointed Brent Clark as their new CEO.
Brent joins the organisation after a multi-decade career in defence and defence industry. He is a former submariner and has held a number of senior roles within Defence Industry.
“AIDN is thrilled to have Brent on board to help us develop as Australia’s voice for defence industry,” AIDN National chair, Lester Sutton said.
“Defence policy is an Australia wide concern and that obviously requires a strong voice in Canberra, which Brent will provide,” Mr Sutton said.
“The COVID-19 crisis has shown defence industry’s importance to the Australian economy, and that importance will only grow as the future submarine, future frigate and other significant defence programs ramp up,” Mr Sutton said.
“Our job at AIDN is to advocate as strongly as we can for our members to make sure they benefit as much as possible from the Federal Government’s defence spend to maximise sovereign capability.
“Beyond the benefits for AIDN members, ensuring a maximum level of sovereign capability is the right thing to do for our national security and the economy,” Mr Sutton said.
Brent Clark will continue in his role as CEO of Industry Voice, a complementary defence industry body that has taken a lead role in the debate around Australian Industry Capability (AIC) - particularly sovereign capability.
Industry Voice has joined AIDN as an Associate Member and signed onto the MOU to form a single national organisation representing small business in the sector.
“I congratulate Brent Clark on his appointment, and I look forward to working in collaboration with AIDN to jointly further the cause for Australian small businesses,” Industry Voice Chairman, William Hutchinson said.
Download the AIDN Newsletter for the 1st Quarter 2020 now!
Released on the 18th of March 2020. Click on the link below to open.
20200318 Newsletter_A4_v0.4.pdf
The Australian Industry & Defence Network (AIDN), Australia’s peak national industry body representing primarily Australian small and medium businesses operating in Australia’s defence and national security industry, has called for an urgent review of the Australian Industry Capability (AIC) Program to ensure it meets its objectives of:
“The current AIC policy framework, established by the Government through the Department of Defence, is well intentioned and has been warmly received by Australian industry. However, the AIC Program as implemented is not facilitating development of sovereign industry capability or business opportunities for the local Australian defence supply chain to the extent envisioned.” said Lester Sutton, National Board Chair of AIDN.
“Australian industry, particularly small and medium business, is now at risk of losing out on sovereign industry capability, billions of dollars of work, and thousands of local jobs,” he added.
AIDN members across Australia are reporting significant frustration in getting Australian industry involved to the extent envisioned across major new defence programs including the Future Submarine, Future Frigate, Offshore Patrol Vessel, Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle and Joint Strike Fighter programs – Australia’s largest ever defence acquisitions. If AIC implementation continues ‘as is’, the outcome will be to lock-in more overseas suppliers and exclude Australian industry from participating in these acquisitions, including through-life-support.
AIDN is recommending a number of changes to improve the AIC Program’s effectiveness and to ensure Australian industry, particularly small and medium businesses, are not further excluded from such opportunities:
“These are relatively straightforward changes, which we believe can and need to be implemented without delay.” Chairman Lester Sutton went on to add.
“AIDN members are grateful for the significant reform achieved in defence industry policy by the government over the last five years and fully support the drive to generate more local capability and corresponding jobs through the transfer of overseas technology. But we need to ensure the intent and extent of these good policy settings, particularly around AIC, are actually achieved.”
“Australian industry is not after a hand out, but it wants the opportunity to compete on a level playing field, for the first-of-class of Australian military platforms, otherwise there is a high likelihood Australian industry will be excluded for the life of the platforms – and sovereign industry capability will not be achieved.”
“With these major programs across all of defence, including SEA1000 Future Submarine, SEA5000 Future Frigate, SEA1180 Offshore Patrol Vessels, LAND400 Phase 2 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle, LAND400 Phase 3 Mounted Close Combat Vehicle, LAND4503 Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter and LAND2097 Phase 4 Special Operations Helicopter, now is the time, without detracting from delivering the defence capability our defence forces need, to focus defence acquisition on supporting sovereign industry capability, local jobs and the significant economic benefit this brings to the country.”
What a fantastic Event!!
The Ipswich City Council has gone above and beyond to attract Defence Primes and Industry to a Symposium which was one of a kind
The facts and figures:
The Ipswich City Council event, organised by AIDN-Qld is part of the continued effort by the Ipswich City council to deliver the "City of Ipswich Defence Ipswich Action Plan 2018-2023". This action plan is supported by the City of Ipswich Defence Industry Development and Attraction Committee (CIDIDIAC). Local Government has a direct level opportunity to identify businesses that have the potential to become the next generation Defence Ready suppliers. Industry Associations like AIDN can provide the network for these businesses to find opportunities to collaborate and complement each other.
Judy Denison who spoke at the event on behalf of the CDIC said: "It's really unique for a City Council to be putting on an event like this bringing Industry together to promote, develop, and assist with looking for opportunities in Defence. I commend Ipswich City Council on the format and I believe everyone will have gained something from the event."
With regards to the B2B sessions, one Business Development Manager at the event was overheard saying to Tamanna Monem from the Ipswich City Council, "it would take me 4 months on the road to meet with the number of businesses I've met in this one afternoon". Others were heard to have benefited from the B2B session with Primes as its something that can take months to get access to a Face to Face meeting.
Carl Quarterman AIDN-Queensland President said "The presenters were all great, the passionate speakers could easily spend hours talking about the topics discussed so to have them all on point with the limited time available was excellent. It was also great to get so many of these businesses networking together and looking for collaboration opportunities."
Nick Green from PFI a business which is actively chasing work in the Space Sector and promoting STEM Activities and skilling was quoted as saying "By far the best conferencing event globally that I've been to the B2B sessions were excellent." Others also echoed this sentiment agreeing that it was well run, and the Primes were happy with the way the B2B sessions ran.
AIDN National Invites you to attend a panel discussion “National Suppliers – Are you Defence Ready?” as part of the Pacific 2019 International Maritime Exposition on Tuesday, 8 October 2019 . The panel session will provide SME’s with:
Panellists include: Kerryn Smith – CEO AIDN-NT Dr. Rodger Manning – Managing Consultant, BidWrite Joseph Cardillo – BAE Major Contracts Manager SEA 5000 Michelle Richard - Thales Procurement Director
See the AIDN National LinkedIn page for further details.
Ipswich City Council, proudly supported by the City of Ipswich Defence Industry Development & Attraction Committee, will host its second consecutive defence industry event after a highly successful Queensland Defence Summit held within the city last November.
The Defence Ipswich Supply Chain Opportunities Symposium 2019 is scheduled for 8 November 2019 and will continue to position the city as one of the hotspots for defence within not only Queensland, but Australia.
The Symposium will attract 150 to 180 industry participants including defence contractors, policy, academia and SMEs to participate and exchange information on project opportunities and attend formal B2B sessions in the heart of Ipswich.
In 2018, council endorsed the Defence Ipswich Action Plan 2018 to 2023, which was developed in consultation with the City of Ipswich Defence Industry Development and Attraction Committee (CIDIDAC). Ipswich is the only local government in Australia to have a dedicated and adopted the Defence Industry action plan. Link: Defence Ipswich Action Plan.
In November 2018, council delivered the Queensland Defence Summit: Ipswich, which brought together over 300 delegates from defence, all levels of government, defence industry, academia and manufacturers.
As a result of the Defence Ipswich Action Plan, council is planning to deliver the Defence Ipswich Supply Chain Opportunities Symposium 2019 to provide opportunities for SMEs to understand and access defence opportunities.
AIDN QLD is the official event coordinator of the Symposium.
Follow the updates on the Defence Ipswich Supply Chain Opportunities Symposium 2019 on our official LinkedIn page here.
Register for the Symposium here.
We look forward to seeing you at the Defence Ipswich Supply Chain Opportunities Symposium 2019!
The International Centre for Complex Project Management (ICCPM) and AIDN have signed a MOU outlining their commitment to jointly
CONTACT US
Mel Woon, Executive OfficerE info@aidnqld.com.au
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