Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee, , 7:52:28 to 7:58:31
Senators and officials discuss the importance of mateship, loyalty, and shared values when integrating recruits from diverse backgrounds into the ADF.
Topics: Workplace culture, ADF
Speakers: Mark Hammond, Malcolm Roberts, Natasha Fox, Hugh Jeffrey, Unknown Speaker
>> Thank you. Is there any um requirement for Australia to send people to the to Papa Nigini?
>> There is no requirement under the treaty, Senator.
>> Okay.
>> And indeed there's no requirement um in the treaty uh for um uh for PNG nationals to join the ADF. It's an opportunity available to PNG nationals should they choose it.
>> Thank you. Um my understanding over the last few decades, last uh three decades, four decades talking to proud ADF people, one of the most important things in in a member of any of the forces is What is the culture of Papa Nugini like with that? And will that be deal dealt with um specifically?
So
>> will will they make diggers?
>> Uh Senator, we actually already train with Papri New Guinea and we have our Papa New Guinea colleagues already come through some of our institutions uh and training with us. So we already have a pre-existing relationship um across certainly across the army and um given that they'll be undertaking the full ADF training they will start on day one with um their colleagues and they will forge that makeshift through that training.
>> How long is that training? basic training.
>> Uh the basic training across the three services uh is anywhere from 9 to 12 weeks depending on which service and uh that basic training cycle is adjusting uh given different training
requirements. Is that long enough to develop u deep ingrained mateshship and and also will it be enough to ingrain or enough mathip for satisfying the rest of the soldiers that they'll beside and be beside and that Australian soldiers and that they will go into battle with?
>> That's the initial military training. They'll then go on to initial employment training and spend time training in whatever role that they're coming into the ADF with and spend more time there before they then go to a unit and then deploy on exercises or um do further training in different units that they go to. So they will build the normal approach um that we bring Australians in right from across Australia who have different backgrounds uh and join and become friends for life
>> because as far as I know that that's a very very prized quality that that um few if any other defense forces anywhere in the world have that sense of mathip and reliance and trust on each other. It's not just the army it's the navy and
Senator, you're absolutely right. It is uh we're not a homogeneous society um within Australia to begin with. We are multi-racial, multi- um multithnic, and we take people from all walks of life in the Australian Defense Force and we we deliberately build those bonds through our training and force generation system and and and in an environment of shared experience and shared commitment to each other. Uh there are um multiple immigrant members of the Australian Defense Force on one.
>> I must interrupt. I'm not concerned about about immigrants who particularly those who've come here at very early age and nor adults from say Britain Britain's army because they fit in very well to ours. Uh I understand that. I'm just concerned uh when you're bringing in adults who may not um who may not have the mathip of being an Australian. That's all. But
>> I understand, Senator, and I've served with um with people in the Australian submarine force that have come from elsewhere, including from Papa New Guinea, my very first submarine that I I went to serve in. And uh that that member who's now retired, their son is a member of the Australian Defense Force. So I I understand the the concern you've raised. Uh I I have a lot of confidence in the way we train and bring people into the system and I also have confidence in the um the exit pathways that exist too. uh we're ultimately building a uh a a a unified force to defend Australia and there are certain values um that are required of that force. So we're not changing the standards. We're not changing the outcome. Uh we're just integrating a different um a different pathway into our community of of sailors, soldiers,
that the army's system, oh sorry, the ADF system in each of the three services can do that with people from just about
>> You don't um succeed as a sailor soldier or aviator without committing to your mates, Senator, and that's not going to change.
>> Okay. What about the loyalty to the uh
>> That's still a requirement in entry in the Australian Defense Force to to to make that oath or affirmation, Senator.
So this is not um a recruitment or retention issue. This is about obligations with our nearest neighbor.
>> Senator, our retention uh achievement over the last few years has been exceptional. Uh frankly, most um uh private sector uh leaders would are envious of our voluntary separation rate which sits uh on on average uh 4 and a half four 5%. Um and our success in recruiting over the last uh over the last 18 months in particular but the last few years has uh has exceeded u performance parameters um uh prior the last decade. So this is not a recruiting or retention um challenge for the Australian Defense Force. This is an opportunity uh and uh a policy position of the Australian government which we are implementing.
>> Okay. Thank you. Um could you give me please on notice the retention and intake numbers for the last 10 years in a graph form? I always like to see data in context.
>> Yes. I can take that on notes.