Australia’s Defence: A Review of the ‘Reviews’

Abstract

Longstanding concerns about inefficiency, compounded by a succession of fiascos and bungles, have entrenched the perception that the Department of Defence is poorly managed. The author's review focus is on the reviews which go directly to the efficiency with which 'Defence' uses resources. The most far-ranging reviews are the Audit of the Defence Budget, undertaken by George Pappas with support from McKinsey and Company (Pappas 2009) and the Review of the Defence Accountability Framework, undertaken by Rufus Black (Black 2011). Others, such as the Collins Class Sustainment Review (Coles 2011) and the Plan to Reform Ship Repair and Management (Rizzo 2011), are more narrowly focused. Despite the range there are some common themes. Central among these are deficiencies in Defence's management systems. Simply put, there are many plans, but no plan; myriad accountabilities, but no accountability. It is difficult to see how the sensible outcomes of these reviews could be successfully implemented in their substance; rather, merely being adhered to in their form.