Press Conference, Canberra

SUBJECTS: ADF senior leadership appointments; Brereton Report; Defence procurement; submarine capability; alliance with the United States; Ukraine; AUKUS. 

SPEAKER:

Taking you live now to Canberra where the Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles is speaking.

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

Australia faces the most complex set of strategic circumstances that we have since the end of the Second World War, as China seeks to shape the world around it and as we work with the United States to maintain its engagement in the Indo-Pacific.

The former government left a lot of major procurements to fall behind time. Australia has a number of capability challenges – most significantly delivering the next generation of submarines. And as a country, it's important that we are bedding down the new AUKUS arrangement.

Against this backdrop, in considering the new service chiefs the Albanese government has placed an emphasis and a premium on continuity. And so to that end, the government has asked the Chief of the Defence Force General Angus Campbell, and the Vice Chief of Defence Force Vice Admiral David Johnston, to extend their term of service for two years. And I should note, sadly, Admiral Johnston is not with us here today because he has tested positive for COVID. I’ve also asked the CDF to extend the term of the Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Greg Bilton, for the same period.

It is fair to say that this was not the initial thought of Defence. And I only say that in as much as we are really mindful of the size of the ask that we are making on these three individuals. These are really big jobs. And to accept the burden of responsibility of doing those jobs for an additional two years is a very significant undertaking. But I’m really happy to say that each of them has enthusiastically accepted our request. And we are deeply grateful for their service.

Today we are announcing three new chiefs of our services. Rear Admiral Mark Hammond is the new Chief of Navy, and will be promoted to Vice Admiral. Admiral Hammond has most recently been the Australian Fleet Commander. Admiral Hammond is a submariner and is a graduate of the Australian Defence Force Academy and will be the first graduate of ADFA to become a service chief.

Major General Simon Stuart is the new Chief of Army and will be promoted to Lieutenant General. General Stuart has most recently been the Head of Land Capability. But General Stuart’s is a rare career, because he joined the Army as a soldier, and to rise from that position to being the Chief of Army is really one of the great stories of the Australian Defence Force.

The new Chief of Air Force is Air Vice Marshal Rob Chapman, who will be promoted to Air Marshal. Air Marshal Chipman has been most recently the Head of Military Strategic Commitments but has spent most of his career as a fighter pilot flying F/A-18s.

Together these three individuals represent the finest qualities of the Australian Defence Force.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the three outgoing chiefs – Vice Admiral Mike Noonan, Lieutenant General Rick Burr, and Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld. Those three have given tremendous service during the entirety of their careers, and most particularly in the last four years as the head of their services.

This team is leading the Australian Defence Force at a time when our nation faces great challenges, but you could not want for a better group of people to meet this moment. Now, I might ask the Chief of the Defence Force to make a few comments.

GENERAL CAMPBELL, CHIEF OF DEFENCE FORCE: 

Thank you, Minister. I’d just like to briefly say on behalf of my colleagues and I, it’s an extraordinary privilege and honour to serve and lead in the Australian Defence Force. We’ll work together to do our very best to see the defence of this nation and the development of the force and its people. Thank you.

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

Thank you, General Campbell. So firstly, are there any questions in relation to what I’ve just announced – either of me or our new service chiefs?

JOURNALIST:

Minister, during General Campbell’s tenure we have seen the Brereton report findings released, recommendations made, and then rejected by the previous government. Can you give us an idea of your thinking on those Brereton recommendations, what will be kept or what won’t be taken up?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

Decisions have been made by the former government in relation to these, and it’s not our intention to go over those decisions. But I do want to make a couple of comments. The Brereton Report dealt with really difficult matters that had faced our Defence Force. These are matters that are critically important be dealt with and that Australia faces. It is to the credit of the nation that we ourselves are dealing with these matters. It’s not another country which is asking us to deal with them.

And I would also say that I feel that we have been very lucky to have General Campbell in place whilst this really difficult issue has faced our country. And there remains work to be done in terms of the Brereton Report, and we will continue working that through. And to that end, the extension of General Campbell’s term I think is completely appropriate and will serve the nation well in the full implementation of the Brereton recommendations.

JOURNALIST:

Can I ask, Minister, is one of the key reasons to extend the Defence – you spoke about the complex strategic environment. One of the other major issues facing Defence at the moment is the – let’s say complex environment in terms of Defence acquisitions. Have you made these appointments or extended these appointments with one eye on that as well?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

Absolutely. And that’s why I referenced that in my initial remarks. We have seen a number of key procurements fall behind time. We do have real capability challenges facing the country, most significantly delivering the next generation of submarines. You know, to that end I think it really is important that we have some continuity in respect of how we manage that through.

I think particularly as Vice Chief of Defence Force Admiral Johnston as the head of the Investment Committee, is in really a central role in respect of that. And we think that continuity will serve us well in terms of making sure that we can deliver those as quickly as possible because we cannot afford any more delay in terms of delivering Australia’s new submarine capability.

JOURNALIST:

Did you start by saying the former government had allowed procurement to fall behind?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

Indeed.

JOURNALIST:

How is that not the responsibility of the current leadership of Defence, and why is keeping that leadership in place going to improve it?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

Yeah, governments govern – or don’t.

JOURNALIST:

And Defence procurements?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

Well, governments procure. Governments govern, or they don’t. And the former government did not. It is a responsibility of the former government that we have seen those procurements fall behind, and it is governments that procure. This new government, the Albanese Government, intends to govern. That’s why we’ve actually made the decision to extend the term of the senior leadership of the Defence Force. And I think a continuity of advice puts us in the best position to make sure that we can get these procurements back on track.

JOURNALIST:

So on that matter, when will you announce a new Deputy Secretary for the Capability and Sustainment Group which will be crucial for that?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

Well, we’ll announce that in due course.

JOURNALIST:

Minister, no disrespect to the men that you’ve selected here, but they are all men. When will the military have a female service chief at least? Was there any consideration given to filling that role as some people in Defence have suggested that there might have been?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

Look, it’s a really good question. And, again, I mean, yes, there’s consideration. Ultimately the decisions have been made against the backdrop of who we believe are the most capable people to fill these roles. But it is a really relevant question.

It’s very important that the Australian Defence Force looks like Australia in terms of its diversity. And I know that in General Campbell’s time there has been a real emphasis on improving the diversity of the Defence Force so that it does look more like Australia, but there is a way to go.

There’s not gender equality in terms of the numbers of representatives within our Defence Force right now, although, having said that, there are a rising number of women within the Defence Force. In due course though, we need to see that filter through to our most senior leadership. And I actually think it’s really important that the question that you’ve asked of me today is a question that is consistently asked of people in my position when making these announcements.

JOURNALIST:

Acting Prime Minister, can I ask you, you mentioned before the importance of stability and continuity. So what was behind the decision to have new leadership of the Army, of the Navy, of the Air Force as opposed to sticking with the current chiefs like Campbell, for instance?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

Sure. I mean, it’s a balance. And what we’re seeking to do is to, you know, have new people involved, which is who we’ve been announcing today while at the same maintaining a continuity at the very top. It is not normal. In fact, it’s unusual, although not unprecedented, to have a Chief of Defence Force serving what will be for six years. But the starting point, in fact, would have been that those terms would not have been extended for two years but to extend these three positions by two years really is being done with trying to maintain continuity, and it’s a really important step.

JOURNALIST:

Minister, what do you say to the thesis that we are part of an unthinking alliance and that AUKUS reflects us being an arm of simply US strategic policy when – if the CDF could comment on this as well – when we should have more capacity to defend ourselves on our own two feet, looking not just into the next few years, but into the next decade or beyond?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

The Albanese Government will have a focus on sovereign capability – Australian sovereign capability. We do participate in an alliance with the United States. It is really important that we maintain those relationships. And it’s not just with the United States – we have a growing trilateral relationship, for example, with the United States and with Japan. I’ve just come back from India where we’re seeking to build our engagement with India.

But through all of those relationships, including with the United States or a country like New Zealand, maintaining Australian sovereign capability is profoundly important. And I think that’s really important when we’re talking about the way in which we evolve our submarine capability. What a submarine capability does is build strategic space for our nation. It’s not just about how we might engage in a conflict; it is about building strategic space for our nation when comes to trade and diplomacy and our place in the world.

And so sovereign capability is fundamentally important, and that is the means – that is the philosophy that is behind – that will underpin the way in which the government will go forward.

JOURNALIST:

Could the CDF say a few words on that?

GENERAL CAMPBELL:

Could I just comment that I take my directions from the Government of Australia. We’ve got a very close and enduring alliance relationship with the United States. We’ve got many strong relationships and we’re building more right across the Indo-Pacific and beyond and in the Defence Force outstanding people who are the centrepiece of all capability. So I’m really positive about the force we have and the force that we are progressively creating. And it’s a force in service to Australia and for Australia’s national interests.

JOURNALIST:

Has the government made a decision about the future of General Frewen yet?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

Well, firstly, it’s actually a decision of the CDF, and that decision hasn’t been made.

JOURNALIST:

Minister, may I ask the Chief of Defence a question?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

Sorry?

JOURNALIST:

May I ask a question through you to the Chief of Defence about the assessment of whether there’s a capability gap in terms of our submarines and whether your advice is consistent on what can be done about that, whether your advice is consistent around a third option in the interim, whether that would dislocate the nuclear project?

GENERAL CAMPBELL:

Thank you. I offer my advice in terms of the capability development of the force to the government, and I’ll continue to do so. And we will work always to see and ensure the defence of Australia. Thank you.

JOURNALIST:

Minister Marles, I just wanted your opinion as to whether Australia could have two nuclear-powered submarines from the US by 2030? This is an opinion of a defence expert close to the Pentagon. And also the Ukraine is asking for – has said it would like more Bushmasters and armoured personnel carriers. Would Australia consider increasing those to Ukraine?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

So, look, I will answer those questions, but I’m just mindful of seeing whether there are any more questions that we’ve got in relation to the announcement that we have just made. Because if there aren’t, what I might do is ask the service chiefs to leave. But I will answer that question.

JOURNALIST:

Just following up on Chris’s point, you’ve been in the role for a little over a month. Has that been long enough to determine that some of the issues around Defence procurement were the fault of the previous government as opposed to issues with the Defence Department itself? Have you had enough time to be able to determine which of the [indistinct] have given you’re extending the term of the people in charge, has it been long enough?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

So, again, I’m going to come back to that question in a moment. But are there any other questions in relation to the announcement of the service chiefs?

All right, well, I might thank the service chiefs for coming and congratulate them on their appointment.

Could you just ask your question again?

JOURNALIST:

Two questions: firstly on Ukraine. The ambassador, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia, has said he’d like to see more Bushmasters and armoured personnel carriers. Will the Albanese Government commit those? And could we see two nuclear submarines by 2030 from the US as part of the AUKUS arrangement?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

In relation to Ukraine, we are continuing to look at the ways in which we can help. We, I think as it stands now, are closing in on almost $300 million worth of assistance to Ukraine. Not all of that has been delivered and we are continuing the process of delivering it.

But we’re also looking at additional ways in which we can support Ukraine, and the reason for that is that whilst Ukraine is a long way from Australia, we really do see that the principles which are at stake in that conflict – which is essentially that the global rules-based order that Australia stands for, that it has helped to build and protect – needs to be protected everywhere; in Eastern Europe and in the Indo-Pacific as well.

And that’s why whilst this is a conflict a long way away we see it as one which very much engages Australia’s national interests. We therefore stand with Ukraine against the aggression of Russia and we will continue to look at further ways to support them.

In respect of the question you’ve asked around submarines, we’re going through a process right now of evaluating the options for what will be the solution for submarines under the framework of AUKUS which will deliver the next generation of submarines, the nuclear-powered submarine, for the country. In doing that we’re also looking at how quickly that can be delivered, and that really will answer the question as to what capability gap arises. And from there we will look at a whole range of options in terms of dealing with that capability gap. And there are many options which remain on the table.

JOURNALIST:

Just whether you’ve had enough time to be able to determine if the issues around defence procurement specifically were the fault of the government as opposed to the leadership?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

Yes, definitely. It’s the fault of the former government. I mean really clearly. This is a government which allowed the nation to drift. I mean, it did it right across the board, not just in terms of defence but in terms of our economy, in terms of wage growth.

But in respect of defence and national security, the former government was big on rhetoric, it was appalling on action, and it let the nation drift. And as a result, a range of key procurements are behind time, and we’ll be talking more about that in the coming weeks. But particularly, and the really big challenge, is in respect of delivering the next generation of submarines.

I mean, the way in which the submarine contract with France was handled is the responsibility of the former government. And what it has done is left our nation with the potential of a very significant capability gap in relation to the most important platform that we can have which builds the nation’s strategic space.

JOURNALIST:

Minister, just further to that, just in regards to the capability gap, what’s your latest advice as to when you expect the first of the nuclear submarines to be able to be delivered? And when you say there are several options on the table, are there any options you can tell us have been disregarded, for example, either procuring boats earlier from the US or son of Collins? What options have been discarded?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

There’s a couple of – forgive me in terms of teasing out the question, because there’s a bit in that. There is a decision that needs to be made about what will be the next generation of nuclear-powered submarines that the Australian government procures and will be in our Navy. That is a process that we are working through under the framework of AUKUS with the United Kingdom and the United States.

There are within that a number of options which are being worked through, and it’s not an obvious choice, so it is an important body of work. But we are seeking to expedite that as quickly as possible, but I’m not about to commit to a timeline now. But, clearly, that is the first step.

The next step is going to be in terms of whatever capability we will be – whatever solution it is that we will be going with, when can we get it, obviously with a sense that we want to get it as soon as possible. But we are talking about a very big step that will be taken in relation to our capability to driving nuclear-powered submarines. And so it’s not going to happen soon. But obviously we want to work out how quickly we can get it, and every year counts.

And then the third step is when we have a sense of when we can get that, that actually does answer the question as to what capability gap has opened up. And then we need to look at a range of options as to how to close that gap. And really, there are a lot of options on the table there and we are not whittling them down now because, we really do need to have a pretty open and creative mind about how we’re going to resolve that.

JOURNALIST:

What do you think the timeline is for that? Could you give us some sort of time frame for that?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

For the announcement?

JOURNALIST:

For the series of decisions –

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

All of this was originally – I take that back. The decision in respect of the solution for what will be the nuclear-powered submarine was the process that was commenced at the beginning of AUKUS by the former government, at which time they put a timeframe of 18 months. I think all the questions that I have put, not just the solutions, but how quickly we can get it and how we can resolve the capability gap, are questions which really need to be answered as one. And I think that, that [I] don’t want to commit to a specific date but I think that, as an order of magnitude, that is a reasonable timeframe to go on. Andrew and I think this will be the last one.

JOURNALIST:

We’ve seen concerns obviously about the submarine capability gap, what about the surface ship capability gap, delays in the Hunter Class and the aging of the ANZAC Class?

ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARLES:

Yeah, and there might be others. I think they are concerns. And again we’ll be saying more about this in weeks to come. Really the situation that the country’s been left in as a result of the inaction of the former government is pretty serious. And there are lots of challenges that we now face and so we do have real concerns in respect of a number of the key procurements. We will be saying more about that in the coming weeks. But it’s why having a continuity in the advice that we’ll be receiving from the senior leadership of the ADF is so important so that we can deal with those challenges as quickly as possible. Thank you.

END