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SENATE Simple Document Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600 Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee Additional Estimates 2020-21 Wednesday, 24 March 2021 Daily summary Here is the summary of today's proceedings in the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee estimates hearing. The committee met from 9.01am until 11.00pm. The committee called: Naval Shipbuilding Expert Advisory Panel • establishment and membership; • role, responsibilities, governance arrangements and reporting lines; • Professor Winter’s appointment as special advisor to the Prime Minister; • US-Australia cooperation for BYG1 combat system for Collins class submarines; • attempts to incorporate Australian producers/products in submarine combat system; • selection process for companies involved (run by LM Australia); • contractual requirements for Australian content in LM (leave to Defence segment); • Acacia tracking system, treatment of IP and procurement differences between US/Australian DoD; and • advice on changes to Australian procurement system to allow US-Australian industry collaboration. Department of Defence • Defence Minister’s office staffing arrangements, including security clearance requirements, security breaches and staff termination; • Defence Minister’s leave; • decision of Minister Reynolds not to attend the Raisina Dialogue; • FIRB advice in relation to Yampi Sound Defence training area; • Australia’s participation in Exercise Malabar 2020; • Loyal Wingman unmanned aircraft system, including ability to team with manned aircraft, development costs, export potential and IP; • Australia-Singapore military training initiative and Rockhampton facility; • armed calvary regiment basing (consideration of move from Brisbane to Shoalhaven Bay); • Inspector-General of the Australia Defence Force Afghanistan inquiry (Brereton report), including investigation and inquiry processes; • Dr Crompvoets research into the health and welfare of the Special Operations Command; • work on the Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Plan; • Future Submarine Program, including renegotiation of the Strategic Partnering Agreement, inclusion of 60 per cent Australian content, work done by Defence in contingency planning, and Australian industry content for combat system; • submariner workforce planning and future capacity; • Huon class minehunters; • reports of CCP members in defence contractor companies; • Hunter class frigates; • Matiullah Khan (former Afghan chief of police, Uruzgan province); • gender inclusion within Defence; • changes to capital budget over 16-17–22-23 period; • reduction in expenditure on top 30 acquisition projects, Poseidon; • Cape class patrol boats – deficient aluminium; • Defence capital budget; • possible cabinet reshuffle; • Command systems project expenditure reduction; • mounted combat reconnaissance capability expenditure reduction; • Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicle phase 2 acquisition – ANAO review; • future air-to-air programs expenditure reduction; • weather-related cancellations of F-35 movements; • Australian industry capability audit; • centre for defence industry capability transition from Industry to Defence; • Jindalee radar upgrade; • escape and rescue system for Collins class subs contract cancellation; and • MRH-90 (tail rotor blade failure incident and subsequent rectification, cabin door related grounding, low availability, inability to fire). Australian Signals Directorate • Microsoft zero day vulnerabilities; • cyber security of Australian elections and engagement with the Australian Electoral Commission; • ASD compliance with the Essential Eight compliance mitigation strategies; and • adequacy of resourcing for ASD to provide assistance to departments and agencies. Defence Housing Australia • Mount Lofty redevelopment project in Toowoomba. Australian War Memorial • Karen Bird sculpture; • clearance processes for the first volume of the Official History of the Peacekeeping operations in East Timor; • Afghanistan exhibition in light of the Brereton Report; • expansion of AWM, including submissions received and community consultation processes; and • Heritage Management Plan and impact on the redevelopment. Department of Veterans’ Affairs • National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention, including role and powers, and timeline of legislation, and potential Royal Commission; • claims processing, including wait times and allocation of cases to delegates; • DVA staffing, including reliance on contractors; • Fletcher Davies/review of medical advisors more broadly; • PTSD Assistance Dogs program; • Veterans’ Family Advocate; • Pharmacy Hotline; • progress on opening of Wellbeing Centres; and • suicide prevention programs. The committee completed examination of the Defence Portfolio. The committee will next meet on Thursday, 25 March 2021 in the Main Committee Room. .
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