This week, Defence Minister Richard Marles announced the Australian Defence Force (ADF) workforce is the largest it has been in 25 years.
The ADF’s workforce is now 64,000 people, following a recruitment push and the introduction of a $40,000 continuation bonus in response to low enlistment and retention rates.
Marles said the Government is “focused on recruiting, retaining and skilling” the ADF workforce.
Here’s what you need to know.
Background
In 2022, the previous Coalition Government said it would commit to boosting the ADF workforce from 60,000 to 100,000 people by 2040.
The ADF has also sought to improve retention, after estimating 6,600 people would leave the force in 2022-23, with only 5,700 expected to join.
In 2024, the (now-Labor) Government expanded ADF eligibility to NZ, UK, Canadian and U.S. citizens who have lived in Australia for at least 12 months.
It also announced a $600 million recruitment drive, including bonuses.
Bonus
In 2023, the Government piloted a continuation bonus program, awarding $50,000 to eligible personnel who committed to three more years in the ADF after completing four years of continuous service.
By January 2024, the Government said 85% of eligible members had taken up the offer.
The scheme was then extended to all ADF members as a $40,000 bonus, available to personnel after four years, and after seven years.
Also in 2024, the ADF launched a recruitment campaign on digital and traditional media platforms.
At a Senate estimates hearing last year, ADF Chief of Personnel Lieutenant General Natasha Fox said they chose to advertise on entertainment news site LADbible.
Fox also confirmed the ADF worked with gaming streaming site Twitch to advertise via games such as FIFA and League of Legends.
Your contribution ensures The Daily Aus can continue doing the work you love.
I want to give $10 monthly to help TDA keep doing the news.
Your details:
In total, the recruitment media strategy campaign cost $42 million.
Latest
This week, Marles said the full-time and permanent ADF workforce has reached 64,000 people, the most personnel since 2001.
He said 8,100 personnel had joined in the past year, the highest intake in 16 years.
Marles also noted that the number of people leaving the ADF is the lowest in 15 years, at 7.4%.
Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh said this was “thanks to” Government “interventions”.
Allegations
The ADF has faced scrutiny in recent years across a range of issues, including the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
The commission received 5,800 submissions about “systemic issues” in the ADF following 1,677 deaths by suicide between 1997 and 2021.
It provided 122 recommendations.
Last week, the Government shared its latest response to these, with 113 agreed or agreed-in-principle, and eight noted.
A class action lawsuit involving more than 1,000 former soldiers alleging systemic sexual violence, harassment, and discrimination in the force is currently before the courts.
Current female ADF personnel later alleged they were harassed by male colleagues about the case.
Around this time, the Government announced an inquiry into sexual violence in the ADF, a Royal Commission recommendation.
In April, the Australian Federal Police charged former ADF soldier Ben Roberts-Smith over five offences relating to the alleged intentional murder and assistance to murder of civilians in Afghanistan.
