This page provides at one time provided access to information about current senior Australian Defence Organisation personnel, but is currently out-of-date.[1]
The Australian Defence Organisation (ADO) consists of both the uniformed military, known as the Australian Defence Force (ADF), and the civilian Department of Defence, which includes a number of civilian support organisations. Within the "civilian" organisations, there are designated uniformed positions; within the uniformed organisations, civilians are not unusual, particularly in strategic, policy, personnel, finance, acquisition and intelligence focussed areas.
Nominally, the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) heads the ADF, and the Secretary (of the Department of Defence) heads the civilian organisations, but in fact, they jointly manage the Australian Defence Organisation under a "diarchy", and both report directly to the Minister for Defence. The ADO diarchy is a governance structure unique in the Australian Commonwealth Public Service.
Like most modern militaries, Australia has the possibility of five-star officers, but these are not active ranks, and are usually reserved for special circumstances.[2] The highest active rank in the Australian Defence Force is reserved for the CDF. This is a four-star rank and the CDF is the only Australian officer at that level. As a result of the diarchy, the Secretary of the Department of Defence is of an equivalent level.
As stated above, this page provides access to information about current senior ADO Leaders. This includes the parliamentarians, and those (both civilian and military) at the equivalent four-, three-, and, where useful, two- and one-star levels. About half of the raw data appears on the Australian Government "Defence leaders: high profile senior personnel" page <http://www.defence.gov.au/leaders.cfm>. Rather than being merely a copy of that page, this page adds value by allowing the reader to organise (sort) the data by a number of criteria, and provides cross-references to people, positions, ranks, organisations, photographs and biographies.
Parliamentary level[]
Under the current (September 2013) Liberal Government, there are three politicians associated with "Defence", (plus the Minister of Veterans' Affairs) :
- The Minister for Defence;
- The Assistant Minister for Defence; and
- The Parliamentary Secretary for Defence.
Five-star level[]
In Australian circumstances, the five-star level is not an active rank; however, HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, ceremonially holds the ranks of Admiral of the Fleet, Field Marshal, and Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force.
Four-star level[]
At present there are two positions at the four-star level: the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF)[3] and the Secretary of the Department of Defence (SECDEF). The SECDEF is a civilian position which is of equal status to the military's four-star ranks.
Three-star level[]
Abbreviations: DEPSEC - Deputy Secretary[4]
People at the three-star (or equivalent) level are:
The Vice Chief of the Defence Force (VCDF)[3]
Chiefs of the branches of the armed services:
- Chief of Navy (CN)[3]
- Chief of Army (CA)[3]
- Chief of Air Force (CAF)[3]
The Chief of Joint Operations (CJOPS)
Senior Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) Leaders:[5]
- CEO of the DMO[6]
- General Manager Systems
- General Manager Programs
- General Manager Corporate
Heads or Chiefs of the various support organisations:
- Capability: Chief Capability Development Group (CCDG)
- Finance: Chief Finance Officer (CFO)
- Information: Chief Information Officer (CIO)
- Intelligence: DEPSEC Intelligence and Security
- Personnel: DEPSEC People Strategies and Policy
- Reform and Governance: DEPSEC Strategic Reform and Governance
- Science & Technology: Chief Defence Scientist (CDS), (Head of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO))
- Strategy: DEPSEC Strategy
- Support: DEPSEC Defence Support
Two-star level[]
Abbreviations: FAS - First Assistant Secretary[7]
Capability Development
- FAS, Capability Investment and Resources
- Head, Capability Systems (HCS)
Finance
Information
Intelligence and Security
- Director, Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO)
- Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation (DIGO)
- Defence Signals Directorate (DSD)
- Defence Security Authority (DSA)
- Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Branch (ISR)
- Business Management - Intelligence Branch (BM-I)
Operations
- Commander, Border Protection
- Commander, Joint Logistics (CJLOG)
People Strategies and Policy
- Head, Defence Personnel Executive (HDPE)
- FAS, Personnel
Reform and Governance
- Deputy Head, Strategic Reform and Governance
Strategy and Coordination
- Head, Strategic Policy
- FAS, International Policy
- FAS, Ministerial Support and Public Affairs
Support
- Head, Defence Health
- Head, Personnel Services
- Head, National Operations
- Head, Defence Legal
- Head, Infrastructure
- Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Navy
- Deputy Chief of Navy (Australia) (DCN)
- Commander Australian Fleet (COMAUSTFLT)
- Head Navy Personnel and Reputation (HNPAR)
Army
- Deputy Chief of Army (DCA)
- Commander Forces Command (CFC)
- Commander of Australian Forces in Middle East Area of Operations
- Adviser to the Vice Chief of the Defence Force on Joint Warfighting Lessons and Concepts.
- Special Operations Command (SOCOM)
- Commander, 1st Division
- Commander, 2nd Division
Air Force
- Deputy Chief of Air Force (DCAF)
- Air Commander Australia (ACAUST)
Reserves:
- Assistant Chief of the Defence Force (Reserves) and Head Reserve and Employer Support Division
Special Counsel to CEO DMO[5]
DMO Systems:[5]
- Head, Aerospace Systems Division
- Head, Electronic and Weapon Systems Division
- Head, Maritime Systems Division
- Head, Helicopter Systems Division
- Head, Land Systems Division
- Head, Explosive Ordnance Division
DMO Programs:[5]
- Program Manager - AEWC
- Program Manager - NACC
- Head, Industry Division
DMO Corporate:[5]
- General Counsel
- Chief Finance Officer - DMO
- Head, Human Resources and Corporate Services
Other
One-star level[]
Srategy, Coordination and Governance
- Director-General Public Affairs
Sortable table of current Senior ADO Leaders[]
Note that nearly all of the people in this table are on fixed term contracts. Extensions of appointments are very rare.[11]
Keys:
Organisations:
- CDF - Chief of the Defence Force
- CDG - Capability Development Group
- CFO - Chief Finance Officer Group
- CIOG - Chief Information Officer Group
- DMO - Defence Materiel Organisation[5]
- DoD - Australian Department of Defence
- DSTO - Defence Science and Technology Organisation
- I&S - Intelligence and Security
- JOC - Joint Operations Command
- PS&P - People Strategies and Policy
- S - Strategy
- SRG - Strategic Reform and Governance
- Support - Defence Support
- VCDF - Vice Chief of the Defence Force
| Name | Sort by Surname |
Position/Title | Level | Org | Start | End | bio | photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Smith MP | Smith | Minister for Defence | 6 | Parliament | 2010 | 2014 | bio | photo |
| Warren Snowdon MP | Snowdon | Minister for Defence Science and Personnel | 6 | Parliament | 2008 | 2014 | bio | photo |
| Jason Clare MP | Clare | Minister for Defence Materiel | 6 | Parliament | 2008 | 2011 | bio | photo |
| Senator David Feeney MP | Feeney | The Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support | 6 | Parliament | 2010 | 2014 | bio | photo |
| HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh | Duke of Edinburgh | Admiral of the Fleet, Field Marshal and Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force | 5 | Constitution | 1960s | |||
| Duncan Lewis | Lewis | Secretary of Defence (SECDEF) | 4 | DoD | 2009 | bio | photo | |
| GEN David Hurley | Hurley | Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) | 4 | CDF | 2011 | 2014 | ||
| AIRMSHL Mark Binskin | Binskin | Vice Chief of the Defence Force (VCDF) | 3 | VCDF | 2011 | 2014 | ||
| RADM James Goldrick | Goldrick | Commander, Joint Education, Training and Warfare Command; Commander, Australian Defence College | 2 | VCDF | 2008 | bio | photo | |
| AVM Margaret Staib | Staib | Commander, Joint Logistics (CJLOG) | 2 | VCDF | bio | photo | ||
| MAJGEN Greg Melick | Melick | Assistant Chief of the Defence Force (Reserves) and Head Reserve and Employer Support Division |
2 | VCDF | 2007 | bio | photo | |
| Dr Stephen Gumley | Gumley | CEO of DMO | 3 | DMO | 2004 | [12] | bio | photo |
| Simon Lewis | Lewis | DEPSEC Defence Support | 3 | Support | 2006 | bio | photo | |
| Brendan Sargeant | Sargeant | DEPSEC Strategic Reform and Governance | 3 | SRG | 2010 | |||
| AVM Ian Smith | Smith | Deputy Head Strategic Reform and Governance | 2 | SRG | 2010 | |||
| Peter Jennings | Jennings | DEPSEC Strategy | 3 | S | 2010 | bio | photo | |
| Rebecca Skinner | Skinner | Head, Strategic Policy | 2 | S | 2009 | |||
| Niel Orme | Orme | FAS, Ministerial Support and Public Affairs | 2 | S | ||||
| BRIG Alison Creagh | Creagh | Director-General Public Affairs (DGPA) | 1 | S | 2010 | bio | photo | |
| LTGEN Ash Power | Power | Chief of Joint Operations (CJOPS) | 3 | JOC | 2011 | 2014 | ||
| Vacant | Vacant | Deputy Chief of Joint Operations (DCJOPS) | 2 | JOC | 2010 | 2011 | ||
| MAJGEN John Cantwell | Cantwell | Commander of Australian Forces in the Middle East Area of Operations |
2 | JOC | 2010 | |||
| VADM Peter Jones | Jones | Chief, Capability Development Group (CCDG) | 3 | CDG | 2011 | [] | [] | |
| AVM Jack Plenty | Plenty | Head, Capability Systems (HCS) | 2 | CDG | 2008 | |||
| Dr Paul Taloni | Taloni | FAS, Capability Investment and Resources | 2 | CDG | 2008 | |||
| Steve Merchant | Merchant | DEPSEC Intelligence and Security (I&S) | 3 | I&S | ||||
| MAJGEN Richard Wilson | Wilson | Director, Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO) | 2 | I&S | 2009 | photo | ||
| Greg Farr | Farr | Chief Information Officer (CIO) | 3 | CIOG | 2007 | bio | photo | |
| MAJGEN Richard Treacy | Treacy | Judge Advocate General (JAG) ADF | 2 | 2007 | photo | |||
| RADM Robyn Walker | Walker | Surgeon-General - ADF | 2 | 2011 | ||||
| Phillip Prior | Prior | Chief Finance Officer (CFO) | 3 | CFO | bio | photo | ||
| Professor Robert Clark | Clark | Chief Defence Scientist (CDS) | 3 | DSTO | 2008 | |||
| Phil Minns | Minns | DEPSEC People Strategies and Policy | 3 | PS&P | 2008 | bio | photo | |
| Steve Grzeskowiak | Grzeskowiak | FAS, Personnel (FASPERS) | 2 | PS&P | ||||
| VADM Ray Griggs | Griggs | Chief of Navy (CN) | 3 | Navy | 2011 | 2014 | ||
| RADM Trevor Jones | Jones | Deputy Chief of Navy (DCN) | 2 | Navy | 2008 | |||
| RADM Steve Gilmore | Gilmore | Commander Australian Fleet (COMAUSFLT) | 2 | Navy | 2009 | 2012 | bio | photo |
| LTGEN David Morrison | Morrison | Chief of Army (CA) | 3 | Army | 2011 | 2014 | ||
| MAJGEN Paul Symon | Symon | Deputy Chief of Army (DCA) | 2 | Army | 2009 | 2012 | bio | photo |
| LTGEN David Morrison | Morrison | Commander Forces Command | 2 | Army | 2009 | 2012 | bio | photo |
| MAJGEN Rick Burr | Burr | Commander, 1st Division | 2 | Army | 2011 | |||
| MAJGEN Craig Williams | Williams | Commander, 2nd Division | 2 | Army | 2009 | |||
| MAJGEN Tim McOwan | McOwan | Special Operations Commander, Australia | 2 | Army | 2008 | bio | photo | |
| AIRMSHL Geoff Brown | Brown | Chief of Air Force (CAF) | 3 | RAAF | 2011 | 2014 | bio | photo |
| AVM Gavin Davies | Davies | Deputy Chief of Air Force (DCAF) | 2 | RAAF | 2011 | |||
| AVM Mark Skidmore | Skidmore | Air Commander Australia (ACAUST) | 2 | RAAF | 2008 | bio | photo | |
| AVM Tony Austin | Austin | Head, Defence Health | 2 | Support | bio | |||
| Neville Tomkins | Tomkins | Head, Personnel Services | 2 | Support | ||||
| MAJGEN Elizabeth Cosson | Cosson | Head, National Operations | 2 | Support | 2007 | bio | photo | |
| Mark Cunliffe | Cunliffe | Head, Defence Legal | 2 | Support | ||||
| John Owens | Owens | Head, Infrastructure | 2 | Support | ||||
| Kieran Gleeson | Gleeson | Chief Operating Officer (COO) | 2 | Support | ||||
| Kim Gillis | Gillis | General Manager, Systems | 3 | DMO | ||||
| AVM Clive Rossiter | Rossiter | Head, Aerospace Systems | 2 | DMO | bio | |||
| Shireane McKinnie | McKinnie | Head, Electronic and Weapon Systems | 2 | DMO | ||||
| RADM Peter Marshall | Robinson | Head, Maritime Systems | 2 | DMO | 2010 | bio | ||
| MAJGEN Tony Fraser | Fraser | Head, Helicopter Systems | 2 | DMO | 2006 | bio | photo | |
| Colin Sharp | Sharp | Head, Land Systems | 2 | DMO | ||||
| Anthony Klenthis | Klenthis | Head, Explosive Ordnance Division | 2 | DMO | bio | |||
| Warren King | King | General Manager, Programs | 3 | DMO | ||||
| AVM Chris Deeble | Deeble | Program Manager - AEWC | 2 | DMO | bio | |||
| AVM John Harvey | Harvey | Program Manager - NACC | 2 | DMO | bio | |||
| Mark Reynolds | Reynolds | Head, Industry Division | 2 | DMO | 2009 | bio | ||
| Vacant | General Manager, Corporate | 3 | DMO | |||||
| Gillian Marks | Marks | General Counsel | 2 | DMO | ||||
| Steven Wearn | Wearn | CFO - DMO | 2 | DMO | ||||
| BRIG Peter Lambert (ret'd) | Lambert | Head, Human Resources and Corporate Services | 2 | DMO |
References and notes[]
- ↑ Information about previous senior leaders can usually be found on the pages about the positions the current leaders occupy, or on pages pointed to by those pages.
- ↑ For example, Australia has had only three Field Marshals, two of which were honorary. None of them were appointed to Field Marshal to fulfill a military role, and the Duke of Edinburgh's appointment is purely ceremonial - he has never worn the uniform of an Australian Field Marshal.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 These positions are Statutory Appointments.
- ↑ Note that "Deputy Secretaries" are generally civilians - career senior public servants at "SES Band 3" level. "Chiefs" are generally three-star military personnel.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 DMO Leadership Team
- ↑ The CEO DMO is directly accountable to the Minister for DMO's performance, but is also accountable to the Secretary and CDF.
- ↑ Note that "First Assistant Secretaries" are generally civilians - career senior public servants at "SES Band 2" level. "Heads" and "Commanders" are generally two-star military personnel. Note, however, that is not always the case.
- ↑ Reports directly to the Minister of Defence.
- ↑ Directly responsible to CDF
- ↑ Reports directly to the Secretary and CDF
- ↑ Notable recent exceptions to the extension of contract are Peter Leahy, Chief of Army (Australia) 2002-2008, and Angus Houston, Chief of the Defence Force (Australia) 2005-2011. The Politicians are, of course, under a different regime.
- ↑ Gumley's fixed term contract was due to expire in February 2009. However, on 2 May 2008, in Ministerial Press Release 033/2008, The Minister for Defence, the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon MP, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, the Hon. Greg Combet MP, announced the ongoing employment of Dr Stephen Gumley as Chief Executive Officer, Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO). As approved by the Secretary of Defence, Mr Nick Warner, under the Public Service Act, Dr Gumley's employment status has moved from a fixed term to ongoing Australian Public Service (APS) employee status.
See also[]
External links[]
The original article can be found at Current senior Australian Defence Organisation personnel and the edit history here.