The requirement, in our words
Clause 8(1)(d) says the entity purposes include six matters. In our words: to acquire, sustain and dispose of materiel for air, land, maritime (not nuclear-powered submarines) and space capabilities, consistent with the National Defence Strategy; to advise the Department of Defence and the Defence Minister independently through the capability lifecycle, including when a project enters the Integrated Investment Program, on delivery options, cost, feasibility and effects on the defence industry; to build a professional and integrated delivery workforce; to act as steward of Australia defence industry and as the main Defence contact for government and international engagement that supports industry opportunities; to supply policy and specialist services, including cost estimation, for defence capability; and to take on other relevant work the Defence Minister asks for. The word "include" matters: the list is not a closed set.
What the provision is doing
The purposes are the benchmark for the corporate plan, the performance measures and the annual performance statements. They also explain the entity's operating model: a delivery organisation with an independent advice role, a workforce role, an industry stewardship role and a policy and cost estimation role. A plan that measures only project delivery will miss half of what the clause says the entity is for.
What good practice looks like
Map all six purposes to activities, owners and measures.
What changed
Before commencement the functions sit in the three legacy groups described in the explanatory statement. After commencement the DDA has a statutory purpose set, and the accountable authority must plan and report against it. The first corporate plan is the place where the six purposes become activities and measures. For a new entity, Rule section 16E(7) relaxes the publication date but not the obligation to prepare the plan, and the plan must still go to the Finance Minister alongside the responsible Minister before publication.
Evidence an auditor or portfolio reviewer asks for
| Category | Record to keep | Retention |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose map | A table with one row for each of the six listed purposes, the activity that delivers it, the responsible executive and the source citation, marked as non-exhaustive. | Current, reviewed each planning cycle. |
| Corporate plan | The first corporate plan covering at least four reporting periods, with the statement required by Act section 35, the purposes, the key activities, the operating context and the performance measures. | Permanent entity record. |
| Performance measures | The measure register, with a baseline, target, data source, method and owner for each measure, meeting Rule section 16EA. | Current, plus each reporting period. |
| Performance records | The section 37 records that properly record and explain performance and enable the annual performance statements, with a data dictionary and a Ministerial access protocol. | Seven years. |
Common gaps
- The plan measures project delivery only and leaves the advice, workforce, industry and policy purposes unmeasured.
- The purpose map treats the six matters as a closed list and ignores the other-tasks purpose.
- The performance measures have no baseline, so the first statement cannot show progress.
- The section 37 records start after the first year, when the evidence can no longer be reconstructed.
What to do before 1 July 2027
- Map all six purposes to activities, owners and measures.
- Draft the first corporate plan with the four-period coverage and the required statement.
- Set the measure register and the section 37 record plan before 1 July 2027.
- Give the plan to both Ministers before publication and record the date.
Dates and cross-references
Commences: 1 July 2027, stated in section 2 of F2026L01074. Retention: Not stated in the text.
Read with: listed-entity-status, financial-reporting, defence-capability-and-minister.
Source
This page reads Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Amendment (Defence Delivery Agency) Rules 2026 (F2026L01074) and its explanatory statement, against the PGPA Act 2013 and the PGPA Rule 2014 Compilation No. 64. Retrieved 2026-10-20. The requirement above is our own statement, not the instrument wording. Not legal advice; does not certify.