Lisa Barlin’s Post

In an initiative to better support our staff who accompany an Australian Defence Force (ADF) member, we have expanded our offerings to include mobility options in our Enterprise Agreement, which came into effect in June this year. Committed to remaining an inclusive workplace, providing more flexibility will provide better clarity to staff, despite the unpredictable nature defence life presents. Reaffirming our ability to support staff during times of change and provide job security in return of their ongoing commitment to our workforce. “Fostering the contribution of people in our workplace with a connection to the Defence community brings important insights to the work that we do as an organisation.” – Eline Martinsen, Chief People Officer. As an organisation we uphold our strong focus on our staff that play a pivotal role in providing housing to the ADF community and their families. Read more about DHA’s Employee Value Proposition. https://bit.ly/4fKHZAk

Fabulous news from Defence Housing Australia, who recently formalised a commitment to supporting employees who also happen to be Defence family members 👏 We know families of ADF members regularly make career sacrifices to support their loved one’s military service. This includes pay reductions, losing seniority and other leave entitlements, and underemployment. Research has also shown Defence families value workplace flexibility in order to support service life requirements. For this reason, family employment is a key area of advocacy for DFA. We want to raise awareness of the skills, experience and potential of partners, working aged children, and other immediate Defence family members, within the private and public sector. To us, it makes sense that these supports for employees are also in place within the broader Defence service provision sector. It's great to see an employer not only reach out to families for the value of their skills and knowledge of Defence life, but also create policies that specifically address families' challenges in their employment conditions. Thank you, DHA, for acknowledging the needs of families 🙌 We hope to hear of similar initiatives supporting families from other organisations in the Defence sector. To find out more about DFA's advocacy work, including in the family employment space, go to https://lnkd.in/dQF3AeXa  

Do you procrastibake? Loved the session with Lieutenant General Natasha Fox, the Chief of Personnel at Defence Australia, hosted by UNSW Canberra on Leadership in ACTion at the National Press Club of Australia. It was great to share the session with Madeline Bonfini, Scott Leggo  and Phillipa Leggo! Natasha spoke so beautifully about people being the most important asset to Defence Australia including: - Improving the recruitment and retention of people within the ADF - Building a single integrated people system  - Taking Defence to the people, instead of recruits having to come to Defence   - Removing the barriers to joining the Australian Defence Force  - Gamifying the application process to attract younger generations  - Signing up non-citizens starting with New Zealanders  - Build accountability and transparency into the ADF, especially around improving the culture  - The therapeutic effects of “procrastibaking” (the crowd loved this!) Here is Natasha’s advice to the next Chief of Personnel: - Apply systems thinking - Operate without boundaries  - It is ok to be kind and care for our people  - Make your moment in time matter We are all in excellent hands, and there are so many phenomenal people initiatives being delivered! ☺️

Planning for Defence Housing doesn’t happen overnight. That’s why we’re bringing together industry, local government and Defence Housing Australia to ensure our personnel are supported over the coming years, not only in Townsville but around Australia. And the input we receive from our Defence people will remain at the heart of our Government’s plans. Defence Australia Defence Housing Australia

The 2024 Integrated Investment Program (IIP) was released by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP earlier this week. You can read the IIP in the post below or at this link: https://lnkd.in/gwwdDqYS At the above link, you will also find other documents that form the strategic plan for Australia's Defence industry. Of particular note, the National Defence Strategy (NDS), is recommended to be read with the Integrated Investment Program (IIP).   #DefenceIndustry #SME #IIP

When one reads news like this, it demonstrates how badly Defence continues to manage Honours and Awards even through the Tribunal. What ever made anyone think this recommendation would be acceptable especially before Anzac Day? Defence’s reputation has long been shot in this area noting a number of senior officers were awarded their Distinguished Servive Cross contrary to the criteria. These DSC’s must be withdrawn as the criteria cannot be adjusted especially on the back of the Afghanistan inquiry, this case and the cases of Teddy Sheean, Major Ray Williams and 24 others as peace monitors in the Middle East. In 2018 Defence produced a Cabinet Minute recommending the Government no longer accept reclassifications. With the DSC matter, Defence have now trapped their senior officers under this Minute while they tried to stop others having the right of review. Those high level awards must be withdrawn as they were incorrectly awarded. Or records could be adjusted to include HMAS Manoira as force assigned. Never touch anyone’s pay packets or Honours and Awards - pretty simple rule.

PeopleIN CEO, Ross Thompson, was interviewed this week by ABC Pacific Beat to discuss our innovative plan to recruit soldiers into the ADF from the Pacific region, drawing on his experience as a captain in the British Army's Queen's Gurkha Engineers, which recruits Nepalese soldiers, and our extensive capability within the Pacific region through the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, of which we employ over 6,000 Pacific workers to work across a range of sectors.   Speaking on the opportunity in Papua New Guinea and the ADF, Ross shared:   “You would have an initial registration, then you would have a selection process within the regions of PNG. Then you would shortlist that down to a final stage selection, that may be in Port Moresby. Each stage would have a fitness element, a medical element, and an aptitude element."   He further added:   “You need to tie the aptitude element back to - where are the gaps in ADF? What roles are they trying to fill? That would influence the aptitude element and the filtering of candidates down."   Listen to the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/gfGhf38i #ADF #PALMScheme

In order to bolster effective command, control and efficient functioning of Inter-Services Organisations, the Bill was passed by both the Houses of Parliament during the Monsoon Session of 2023. The Bill received the assent of the President on 15 August last year. The Act empowers Commanders-in-Chief and Officers-in-Command of Inter Services Organisations to exercise control over Service personnel serving under them for effective maintenance of discipline and administration without disturbing the unique service conditions of each individual Service. With the notification, the Act will not only empower the Heads of Inter Services Organisations but also expedite case disposal, eliminate multiple proceedings, and foster greater integration and jointness among the Armed Forces personnel. The legislation has been brought to ensure better coordination and integrated infrastructure between the three service arms and further strengthen the armed forces’ tradition of discipline. The Act’s notification will definitely provide the impetus for the creation of theatre commands in the coming months.

Does DHA city Karachi is not enough. Land of this country belongs to the common people, not to the Generals or Property Dealers. Context: You need to pay a non-refundable application fee of at least PKR 20,000. If 100,000 applicants apply, total of PKR 2,000.000,000 (2 Billion) will be collected by them under one revenue account from one project.

The announcement by Richard Marles , that the ADF will be opening up recruitment to non citizens. Should be considered as one of the most dangerous decisions made by this government to date. Definition of a Mercenary Hired professional soldier who fights for any state or nation without regard to political interests or issues. Australians no longer have an Australian Defence Force committed in defending Australian interests. Instead we will be arming and training mercenaries ready to jump ship to the highest bidder. If we want more Australians joining the Defence Force, then maybe we should start by helping our kids feel proud to be Australian instead of politicising them at schools. A simple start could be reinstating singing our national anthem at schools again. #defence #auspol #Australian #Australia #recruitment #mercenary #army #DefenceForce https://lnkd.in/gpACW8wc