Overview

The 2nd Annual Western Australia Defence Forum will take place at the Gary Holland Community Centre, Rockingham on 19 March 2024. This will be a high-level policy-driven forum, focusing on creating strategic sovereign maritime capability in the West, upgrading and maintaining Defence estate and infrastructure, as well as fostering a strengthened local Defence industry.

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A special Defence and SME discounted rate is available to attend – see below for details.

Sponsors

Lanyard Sponsor

Exhibitors

Speakers


The Hon Pat Conroy
Minister for Defence Industry


BRIG Brett Chaloner
Commander, 13 Brigade, Australian Defence Force


CDRE Ivan Ingham
Royal Australian Navy


LTCOL Adam Bryden
Commanding Officer, Pilbara Regiment


Adam Sandilands
Senior Advisor, Defence & Space, AUSTRADE


Dr Kate O’Shaughnessy
Research Director,
Perth USAsia Centre


Sarah Tartakowski
Strategic Supply Chain Manager, Babcock Australia and New Zealand


Dr George Feast
Deputy Director, SME Connect, CSIRO Services


Hiromi Fujisaki
Program Director, WA Defence Workforce Strategy, WA Defence Industry Workforce Office


Dr Jeffrey Wilson
Director of Research and Economics, Ai Group


Gerry Matera
Managing Director,
Indigenous Defence Services


Sharon Wilson
Business Development and Continuous Naval Shipbuilding Director, BAE Systems


Andrew Benn
Director Defence Major Projects, WSP


Deb Hamblin
Mayor, City of Rockingham


Matthew Theoharous
Executive General Manager,
Lendlease


Warren Farrow
General Manager Critical Infrastructure, Ventia


Michele Clement
Director, Defence Science Centre,
Defence West


Anthony Marceddo
Director, Defence Research & Engagement, Edith Cowan University


Prof Gia Parish
Director, UWA Defence & Security Institute


Rodney Brown
Principal Consultant, ALARP


Gary Hale
Director Defence & Space, Curtin University

AGENDA

9:00

WELCOME TO COUNTRY

9:05

ADM OPENING

Kylie Leonard, Associate Publisher, Australian Defence Magazine Group

9:10

OPENING | Opening remarks from the Chair

Rodney Brown, Principal Consultant, ALARP Solutions

DEVELOPING WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S DEFENCE INDUSTRY

9:15

Federal Government Address| The importance of a vibrant, agile, and innovative defence industry to support Australia’s sovereign capability

The Hon Pat Conroy, Minister for Defence Industry (via video link)

9:20

Keynote address: Sustainment as key enabling capability

Enhancing navy’s agile approach and agility

  • Horizon 3 – approaching sustainment as a whole-of-life concept
  • How the Regional Maintenance Centre West will capture and analyse performance and identify efficiencies and opportunities for improvement
  • Pipeline and opportunities for Defence industry to collaborate on the RMCs

CDRE Ivan Ingham, Royal Australian Navy

9:50

The Strategic Importance of WA to the work of the Australian Defence Force

  • Current operational challenges facing the ADF in Western Australia
  • The role, scope, and challenges of 13 Brigade
  • Engagement with industry. What are we looking for, and how can you best partner with us?

BRIG Brett Chaloner, Commander, 13 Brigade, Australian Defence Force

10:20

Panel discussion: Challenges in delivering major projects

  • Addressing skills and workforce challenges
  • Scarcity of materials
  • The impact inflation will have on delivering major projects

Andrew Benn, Director Defence Major Projects, WSP
Gerry Matera, Founder, Indigenous Defence Services
Matthew Theoharous, Executive General Manager, Lendlease

10:50

Morning Tea

11:20

Analysis: How will the AUKUS alliance impact Australia’s relationship in South East Asia and China and what implications will this have for the local Defence industry?

  • Where we are at with the AUKUS Alliance
  • Response to reaction from China and South East Asia
  • Likely implications of AUKUS for WA and how the local industry can best contribute to Defence capability

Dr Kate O’Shaughnessy, Research Director, Perth USAsia Centre

11:50

Case Study: Regional Force Surveillance Group in Western Australia: The Role of the Pilbara Regiment

  • The geographical significance of Western and North Western Australia
  • Engagement with local communities
  • Recruitment of personnel throughout the region
  • Challenges operating in remote areas

LTCOL Adam Bryden, Commanding Officer, Pilbara Regiment

12:10

Case study: 24-hour day to day operation and management of the Australian Marine Complex Common User Facility

  • A fresh approach to growing commercial opportunities
  • Working with Development WA on the State’s vision for a stronger tomorrow
  • Redefining service excellence to support local businesses
  • A collaborative approach, efficiency through innovations and value for money service

Warren Farrow, General Manager Critical Infrastructure, Ventia

12:30

Government address: Building a strong and sustainable defence industry workforce in WA

  • How the WA Defence Industry Workforce Office helps developing workforce for the WA defence industry
  • WA joint force approach – WA Defence Industry Workforce Development Plan 2022-2027 – creating a pipeline of skilled workforce across five defence capability domains
  • New skilling and workforce development initiatives underway in 2023

Hiromi Fujisaki, Program Director, WA Defence Workforce Strategy, WA Defence Industry Workforce Office

12:50

Lunch

SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES

13:50

Enhancing access to global markets:

  • How Austrade is extending the reach for Australia’s Defence industry
  • A guide to the Export Strategy Framework
  • International Engagement & Export Support

Adam Sandilands, Senior Advisor, Defence & Space, AUSTRADE

14:10

CSIRO Address| Assisting SMEs to drive innovation in the Defence Sector – CSIRO SME Connect

  • Facilitating R&D partnerships
  • Training for SMEs – Innovate to Grow
  • Success stories

Dr George Feast, Deputy Director, SME Connect, CSIRO Services

14:30

Case study: How the Factory of the Future project is enabling SMEs to be part of the Hunter Frigate program

  • Innovation. Industry 4.0 and the Factory of the Future
  • Opportunities for SMEs to access the Hunter Frigate program and other supply chains

Sharon Wilson, Continuous Naval Shipbuilding Director, BAE Systems

14:50

Case study: Coordinating the delivery of maintenance for Navy Vessels in Western Australia

  • Providing the link between Defence and industry to boost local sustainment capability
  • Ensuring resilient supply chains for future projects
  • How NSM’s supplier continuous improvement program can be a win-win-win for Defence, Prime and SME contractors and the local economy

Sarah Tartakowski, Strategic Supply Chain Manager, Babcock Australia and New Zealand

15:10

Refreshment and networking break

15:30

Panel discussion: Defence research and innovation

  • Successfully collaborating with TEAM WA to strengthen Australia’s sovereignty
  • Challenges in researching in the Defence space
  • Current projects that will enhance Australia’s Defence capability

Prof Gia Parish, Director, UWA Defence & Security Institute
Anthony Marceddo, Director Defence Research & Engagement, Edith Cowan University
Michele Clement, Director, Defence Science Centre, Defence West
Gary Hale, Director Defence & Space, Curtin University

16:00

Closing remarks from the Chair

16:10

Networking Drinks

17:10

Event Concludes

Pricing

*SME is defined as organisation with fewer than 200 employees worldwide, including parent company, regardless of structure.

Early Bird Rate expires 31 January 2024

Packages Early Bird Standard Rate
Conference pass – Standard Industry Rate $1,095 + GST $1,395 + GST
Conference pass – SME Rate $495 + GST $595 + GST
Conference pass – Dept Defence/ ADF FREE FREE

ConnectMe

ConnectMe • Networking enhanced

All of our events utilise a bespoke dynamic smartphone app, ConnectMe – which guarantees attendees a premium event experience. Logins are sent prior to the conference commencement allowing you to check who’s attending, schedule in meetings and catch ups, participate in live Q+A and interactive polls, and much more. ConnectMe ensures you never miss a beat prior, during and post event.

Venue

Gary Holland Community Centre
19 Kent St
Rockingham WA 6168

Book accommodation with HotelMaps
To access the best available rate, book here.

Sustainability

Our Commitment to Sustainability

In Australia, we are committed to running our events in an environmentally and socially responsible way. Across Informa Connect we are focusing on the short and long-term sustainability impacts we have on customers and colleagues alongside the communities we work in.

We recognise that it’s not just about the way we produce our events and products but recognising that we have a role to play in providing a space to work in partnership together with our markets to inspire the sustainable development of the industries we serve.

To read more on our latest sustainability reports and Faster Forward initiatives – click here.