Australia's top military commander has publicly confirmed a significant shake-up within the Defence Force's highest ranks, acknowledging the organisation has become bloated at the top.
Defence Chief Admits to 'Top-Heavy' Structure
Chief of the Defence Force, Admiral David Johnston, told a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday that plans are underway to reduce the number of senior officers in the Australian Defence Force. Admiral Johnston conceded the nation's military had become 'too top-heavy' and stated he was actively working to manage the size of star-ranked positions.
"We have initiated a review of all of the star-ranked positions in a cycle over time, while we have introduced a new work value assessment for new proposals," Admiral Johnston explained to senators.
Numbers Already in Decline Amid Criticism
The Defence Chief provided concrete figures, revealing the number of one-star officers had already fallen from 248 in January 2025 to 234 by November. This reduction comes amid pointed criticism from Greens senator and Defence spokesperson David Shoebridge, who labelled the ratio of senior officers to the rest of the Defence Force as 'obscenely high rates' compared to allied nations like the United States and the United Kingdom.
Admiral Johnston defended the historical growth in senior ranks, linking it to the establishment of complex new capabilities such as the nuclear-powered submarine agency and the sovereign guided weapons enterprise. However, he emphasised his focus on ensuring a sustainable foundation for the number of top brass moving forward.
Broader Defence Reforms and Job Security Questions
This confirmation aligns with sweeping reforms announced by Defence Minister Richard Marles just days earlier, on Monday. The government's plan includes scrapping Defence's acquisition, guided weapons and sustainment groups, transferring their functions to a new standalone agency by July 2027.
While the government has not ruled out redundancies, Defence Secretary Greg Moriarty pushed back against assertions of widespread job losses. He told the Senate estimates hearing that the creation of a dedicated procurement agency was designed to tackle "massive procurement challenges" and that rebuilding the public service workforce was a key part of the restructure.
"Our ministers have made clear that this reform is not a job-cutting exercise," Mr Moriarty stated. "There will be no abolition of groups."
The moves signal a significant period of transformation for the Australian Defence Organisation, aiming to streamline command and improve efficiency amid growing strategic challenges.
