Publication:Sea Talk Summer 2008/CN launches New Generation Navy
By LCDR Antony Underwood
‘Navy must be a place where people want to serve Australia…’
The Chief of Navy has launched a far-reaching program, to be known as New Generation Navy, “to turn the Navy into an organisation that can produce forces in an enduring manner”. Vice Admiral Russ Crane, AM, CSM, RAN, outlined the proposal during his State of the Navy address delivered Navy-wide by video on October 31.
He said the Navy is about to undergo an extraordinary transformation.
“It is clear to me we need a new way forward, a New Generation Navy,” he said, “but, I can’t make the Navy a better organisation or a better place to serve without your support.”
VADM Crane said he had had asked for a series of “due diligence reports” on Navy’s operating domains - aviation, submarines and major and minor surface units – as well as finances, since he assumed command of the RAN on July 4.
“The results reinforced my own observations from my previous time as Deputy Chief,” he said. “Whilst it was clear in all these reports that our greatest asset was indeed our people, they did reveal some organisational shortfalls that must be addressed.
“We have been driving our organisation and our people too hard and burning your goodwill, unnecessarily in many cases. Although there are many positives we can take from what is happening in Navy, it is fair to say we have some significant work to do to get us back on an even keel.
“This is particularly evident in our workforce, where we have too large a gap between the people we need and the people available to do the work we need to do.”
VADM Crane said simulators and onboard technology were already having a positive effect.
“But our training pipeline remains clogged in many areas across the Navy and in some cases it is still growing,” he said. “Simply put, we have too many people under training and not enough trained people to do the work we need to do.”
There was “no easy fix”, VADM Crane said.
“But the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect a different outcome!” he said. “We must bring about major change.”
As well as the gap between people needed, people under training and people needed to do the job, there were challenges from a changing external environment.
One lay in the change of role from Navy commanding operations directed by government to Navy “raising, training and sustaining” units and people to meet operations directed by through the new Joint Operations Command at Bungendore, on the outskirts of Canberra.
Others included force structure changes such as the commissioning of new air warfare destroyers, helicopter landing ships, upgrades in the Anzac and Adelaide Class frigates and Collins Class submarines and new helicopters being acquired for the Fleet Air Arm.
Admiral Crane said dealings with the team researching the Government’s next White Paper on Defence had led him to believe that the next Defence budget will be a tight one.
“At the same time there is also a major Defence audit underway,” he said. “Both will impact us significantly as Defence strives to maximise the effectiveness of every dollar it spends.
“We will have to become more efficient and effective within the parameters of the funding and people we have available. That is the harsh reality.”
VADM Crane said the New Generation Navy – NGN – strategy rests on three pillars:
- A leadership and values program;
- Reputation management; and
- Structural reform.
He said NGN will focus on improving the quality of leadership across the Navy.
“We must reinforce the value of the Australian sailor,” he said. “We will do this through improved mentoring and coaching for our people and recognising, in meaningful ways, the sacrifices our people make. We must make working to improve welfare something we want to do because we have respect and concern for each other.
“It is about making us One Navy, part of a team that is based on tolerance and respect for each other, regardless of rank. We must embrace our diverse backgrounds.
“We need to better understand and articulate the contribution we make to Australia’s national security, and why we have a Navy.”
VADM Crane said NGN means that the Service must change the way it operates ships to “better match the resources we have available with the demand for them”.
“This goes to dollars and people,” he said.
He said also that the Navy needs to meet its mission by “working smarter, not harder”.
“And that may mean less sea time while we regenerate our workforce,” he said. “I am confident we can continue to meet our operational requirements whilst providing for a greater training focus and giving our people more time with their families. Work life balance is important and we need to change our culture to nurture our people.”
This could mean a shift in culture to one which “might accept that it is OK to have ships alongside specifically for training purposes”.
“We need to shift the culture so that we take a risk managed approach to gapped billets,” he said. “I do not wish to create unnecessary angst, stress and work for those remaining onboard who must pick up the workload of those gapped billets. It is unfair and leads to burnout which has a devastating long term effect on retention. Our people should not be sacrificed for the sake of a self-generated Fleet Activity Schedule.”
On reputation management, VADM Crane urged cooperation when the Services public affairs people “come knocking on your door for assistance in conducting media activities”.
The Navy had enjoyed widespread public exposure through activities such as submarine features on 60 Minutes and A Current Affair, the patrol boat series Sea Patrol and the ABC series on Navy divers.
“It is my view that if we allow the media to spend time with you in your work place then I am convinced that they will come away believing in you the way I do,” VADM Crane said.
Conversely, members of the Navy needed to understand that poor behaviour and unsafe work practices could have adverse impacts on the Service’s reputation and ability to recruit people needed to meet the Navy mission.
“Further, such negative publicity is a barrier to the pubic recognition you so richly deserve. So apply common sense. Do the right thing. Make the right choices. Think about how your choices affect our reputation and the rest of the team.”
VADM Crane said many structural reforms may be “unpalatable at first glance”.
“They are necessary to ensure a sustainable future,” he said. “I hasten to add that the “people factor’ involved in any structural reform will be a high priority.”
Admiral Crane said that he will be personally leading the NGN program.
“With your support, my job is to deliver - and you have my personal commitment to this endeavour,” he said.
“I look forward to having you onboard for NGN. It represents an exciting, and challenging opportunity and a path we must take for those serving and those that will follow.”
