ISSN: 1836-1838
Date presented to Premier: 10 September 2020
To:
Hon Steven Marshall MP
Premier of South Australia
This annual report will be presented to Parliament to meet the statutory reporting requirements of (insert relevant acts and regulations) and the requirements of Premier and Cabinet Circular PC013 Annual Reporting.
This report is verified to be accurate for the purposes of annual reporting to the Parliament of South Australia.
Submitted on behalf of Defence SA by:
Richard Price
Chief Executive
Date 10th September 2020 Signature
From the Chief Executive
This year has again provided an opportunity for South Australia to further cement its position as the Defence State and to emerge as the centre of Australia’s space industry development.
The 2019-20 financial year presented a number of unique challenges for the defence and space industries with the global COVID-19 pandemic affecting every business. The pandemic has demonstrated the importance of these industries to South Australia’s economy as their ability to continue working throughout the crisis will drive the state’s recovery efforts.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also seen an increased appetite for the development of sovereign capability, which aligns with Defence SA’s work throughout the year to support local industry participation in global supply chains for major projects such as the Attack class submarines and Hunter class frigates. The Pacific International Maritime Exposition in Sydney in October 2019 provided an excellent platform for companies to engage with potential supply chain partners.
A key priority for the state is ensuring that South Australia has the right mix of highly skilled workers in place to undertake major defence projects. In order to do this, Defence SA commenced a number of initiatives to support the growth of our existing workforce. This involves a multi-faced approach to attract experienced highly skilled workers, upskill workers and encourage the next generation of workers to consider a career in defence and space industries.
The South Australian Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Strategy was launched in September 2019 and two Defence Industry Workforce and Skills roundtables were held with the heads of major defence companies and other key stakeholders. The Premier’s Defence Industry Scholarship Program was launched for STEM university students to undertake placements within the defence industry and a new campaign to build awareness of the lifelong careers in the defence industry in South Australia commenced in June 2020.
South Australia is also in a prime position to take advantage of opportunities across the information warfare and cyber sectors and Defence SA undertook a number of stakeholder engagement activities throughout the year to support this strategic objective.
A number of exciting developments occurred for the state’s space industry. South Australia again hosted two Australian Space Forums, with the February 2020 forum attracting a record more than 1000 national and international registered attendees and more than 40 exhibitors. The February forum coincided with the official opening of the Australian Space Agency and SmartSat CRC at the Lot Fourteen innovation precinct.
Defence SA’s Defence and Space Landing Pad at Lot Fourteen is in place to support companies in their transition to operate in South Australia and eight companies signed agreements to establish a presence at the landing pad.
In the research sector, the Defence Innovation Partnership contributed $600,000 to projects in Round 3 of the Collaborative Research Fund. The Defence Innovation Partnership continues to create opportunities for collaboration across the Defence, defence industry and research sectors, which is vital for the industry’s development.
On 1 July 2019, Veteran’s SA transferred into Defence SA which created opportunities for increased collaboration across the Veteran’s community and defence industry. Veteran’s SA continued their support of those who have served in the Australian Defence Force and their families through the Partnerships Hub and grants program.
The defence and space industries remain at the forefront of South Australia’s plans for economic growth. Through challenging circumstances significant progress was made across both industries that will provide a strong foundation for future continued success.
Richard Price
Chief Executive
Defence SA
Contents
Our organisational structure as of 30 June 2020
Agency contribution to whole of government objectives
Agency specific objectives and performance
Employment opportunity programs
Agency performance management and development systems
Work health, safety and return to work programs
Executive employment in the agency
Financial performance at a glance
Strategies implemented to control and prevent fraud
Reporting required under any other act or regulation
Reporting required under the Carers’ Recognition Act 2005
Number of public complaints reported
Appendix: Audited financial statements 2019-20
Overview: about the agency
Our strategic focus
Purpose:
Defence SA is South Australia’s lead government agency for all defence and space related matters, with a mission to grow investment, the Australian Defence Force and defence and space industries which leads to new and exciting jobs for South Australians. A key part of the organisation’s strategy is to ensure a highly skilled, industry-ready workforce is in place to underpin defence and space projects.
The Defence SA Advisory Board provides high-level strategic advice to promote the growth of the defence industry in South Australia and plays a key role in guiding the state’s defence strategy.
Within Defence SA sits the Defence Innovation Partnership, South Australian Space Industry Centre and Veterans SA:
Defence Innovation Partnership – fosters collaboration and engagement between government, universities/research organisations and industry. The Defence Innovation Partnership helps deliver innovative solutions to Defence by: creating connections between researchers, industry and Defence; building and supporting defence-relevant collaborations through the Collaborative Research Fund; attracting research and development funding to South Australia; and supporting the translation of defence and national security research and development.
South Australian Space Industry Centre (SASIC) – drives space industry innovation, research and entrepreneurial development. SASIC collaborates with the Australian Space Agency to play a key role in the national space agenda.
Veterans SA – serving the veteran community and South Australian Government, providing education and advocacy on all matters relating to veterans. Veterans SA support serving and ex-serving military personnel and those who support them by providing a central contact point for information about the state government’s services to veterans across South Australia. Veterans SA provide administrative support to the Veterans’ Advisory Council to ensure veterans receive a voice at the highest levels of government.
Vision:
| Defence SA | A thriving, growing and sustainable South Australian defence sector, supporting the Australian Defence Force and strengthening our country’s national security. |
| Defence Innovation Partnership | A trusted, forward-thinking and sustainable defence-relevant research, development and innovation ecosystem, supporting Australia’s defence and national security needs. |
| SASIC | A thriving, growing and sustainable South Australian space sector, supporting Australia’s national strategy and boosting competitiveness and efficiency in other sectors of our economy. |
| Veterans SA | A strong, vibrant and well supported and represented veteran community, inclusive of all generations, that is understood and appropriately acknowledged by all South Australians |
Mission/Values:
| Defence SA | To establish and maintain a competitive business environment in the defence sector. |
| Defence Innovation Partner |