DHA Annual Report 2012

Stakeholder management

During 2011–12, DHA relationships with Shareholder Departments (Department of Defence and Department of Finance and Deregulation) were strong and effective, extending from regular working level contacts with officials of both Departments through to the most senior levels. The attendance of the Secretary of Defence, at the Annual Strategic Meeting on 30 November 2011, and the Chief of the Defence Force at the Board meeting on 24 May 2012 illustrates this effective relationship.

The Chairman and Managing Director meet as required with senior officials in both Departments to ensure a good understanding of Shareholder Minister priorities and of issues affecting their relationships with DHA. As a result, DHA has been able to make good progress on major issues impacting on the business including the major review of the Services Agreement, the expansion of DHA’s off-base singles business and an increase in the cap on the supply of inner city apartments in Sydney.

The DHA Advisory Committee brings together the Deputy Chiefs of the three Services and others for the purpose of providing advice to DHA on the performance of its functions. The Committee met twice in 2011–12. Recognising the importance of housing impacts on force structure decisions, DHA senior leadership met with the Force Posture Review team and provided a written submission to assist the team with their report.

State, Territory and Local Government planning departments and agencies are key stakeholders for DHA, especially in the context of the developments currently afoot. Small and large projects currently underway would not be possible without careful attention to relationships with officials in these agencies and an understanding of their issues and priorities. DHA’s Property Provisioning Group is responsible for these relationships, assisted by DHA senior leadership.