An expert board of Defence industry representatives, unions and Government agencies has been established to provide high level advice on Defence industry programs to the Federal Government.
Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare said one of the first tasks of the Defence Industry Innovation Board would be to work on the guidelines for the new Priority Industry Capability Innovation Program.
This US$44.8 million program will provide funding, particularly to small to medium sized enterprises, to develop innovative products that contribute to priority industry capability goals.
The board will be chaired by David Mortimer, and consist of representatives from primes, small and medium enterprises, industry associations, Defence and the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.
Among board members are Michael Ward, managing director of Raytheon Australia; Rob Forbes, chief executive officer of CEA Technologies Pty Limited; Graham Priestnall, national president of the Australian Industry and Defence Network; and Robert Clark, chief defence scientist at the Defence Science and Technology Organisation.