There is a serious skills crisis in Australian defence industries, which is hampering the ability of the Australian Defence Force to fight wars, says parliamentary secretary Greg Combet.
The veteran trade unionist, whose responsibility is to fix serious problems in defence contracting, told the National Press Club last Thursday that, in the past financial year, companies providing defence equipment needed nearly 1700 new employees but found only 650.
The shortfall contributed to industry underperforming, and it was one of the reasons why more than $1 billion in the defence budget was left unspent.
Finding those additional skilled workers was crucial if defence industry was to be sustainable.
"Lifting the level of the skilled workforce will be central to getting the defence industry to deliver on time and on budget," Mr Combet said. "This is a significant challenge and one it's fair to say industry is currently failing to meet."
He said that over the next decade it was estimated that a further 18,000 skilled personnel would be needed in the Australian defence industry because of increased demand and an ageing workforce.
Mr Combet stressed that "If this problem is not addressed the ADF will face reduced capability."
Over the next 10 to 15 years the ADF planned to spend $100 billion replacing more than 80% of its fighting equipment, including ships, aircraft and vehicles.
Obtaining new jet fighter-bombers for the RAAF and air warfare destroyers and massive new landing ships for the navy would be followed by development of the new generation of submarines that would probably take 15 years to design and build.
Mr Combet said that it was important for strategic reasons that these be built in Australia. "The Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) is also working hard to ensure that the army is well equipped to deal with the combat zones and humanitarian roles of the future."
Mr Combet said that if a review that had begun recommended that the DMO would be more effective if it were removed from the direct control of the defence hierarchy, the Government would have a responsibility to consider that approach.
But, he said, he wanted to make it clear that the Government would not support any changes that diminished the ability of military chiefs to buy material needed by the troops quickly.
Source: The Age - September 5 2008.
defence forces
