Australia is facing an increasingly precarious strategic environment where technological advances are outstripping the traditional acquisition and procurement system's ability to respond and has lowered the security afforded by Australia's remote geography. This has reduced strategic warning time to less than ten years and radically changed the ADF posture to include a 'fight from' Australia requirement.
Synergy Group was engaged to deliver a formal study on the modernisation and upgrade of current and future infrastructure proposals and requirements based on Defence's revised strategic posture. The Study focussed on northern Australia, including logistic support needs, particularly Guided Weapons (GW), Explosives Ordnance (EO) and fuel infrastructure.
Key responsibilities included:
- A broad investigation into potential issues facing SEG's planning, design and delivery of infrastructure and a re-evaluation of strategic infrastructure proposals against emerging requirements.
- Greater coordination, direction and ownership by VCDF to enable strategic decisions regarding 'fighting from Australia' and with Allies and Partners.
- Development of a new approach to the planning design and delivery of estate and infrastructure support.
- Position SEG to maximise funding and input into the Defence Capability Assessment Program (DCAP 22-24) through the identification of estate gaps and opportunities and key strategic investment decisions to inform joint experimentation, which are core mechanisms in the DCAP 22-24.
- The Future Defence Estate and Requirements Study was supported by an infographic, Strategic Narrative and Decision Brief for DEPSEC Security and Estate.
Skillsets included:
- Levels 2-4 Strategic Business Advice, Project Development and Management, Strategic Writing skills and creative support.
Achievements included:
- Extensive stakeholder engagement was conducted with the Defence Senior Leadership Group (SLG) including sixteen 2 star / Band 2 and thirty-five 1 star / Band 1 officer and senior officials. This was critical to the support of the Study's recommendations.
- Synergy Group developed an open, frank and trusted partnership with SEG to successfully develop a new approach to estate and infrastructure.
- The Study provided an opportunity for SEG to change the way it is viewed by itself and the Department as a whole from a delivery agency to a Joint Combat Enabler.
- Synergy Group collaborated closely with the SEG team to provide the DEPSEC SE with an opportunity to actively shape the future design and defence of infrastructure through a paradigm shift in the approach to the planning, design and delivery of infrastructure support.
