Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)
Chief of the Australian Defence Force | |
---|---|
since 30 June 2014 | |
Style | Admiral General Air Chief Marshal |
Member of | Australian Defence Force |
Reports to | Minister of Defence |
Term length | Four years (renewable) |
Inaugural holder | Lieutenant General Sir Henry Wells |
Formation | 23 March 1958 |
Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) is the most senior appointment in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister of Defence. The appointment shares control of the Australian Defence Organisation in a coequal arrangement (a "diarchy") with the Secretary of the Department of Defence, the most senior public servant in the Department of Defence.[1][2]
The position is a fixed-term appointment of four years—though until June 2014 this was three[3]—and is notionally rotated between the three services (Navy, Army and Air Force). However in practice this has not been the case: of eighteen appointees, nine have been from the Army, five from the Navy and four from the Air Force.[4]
During peacetime, the CDF is the only four-star officer in the ADF (admiral, general, or air chief marshal). He is assisted by the Vice Chief of the Defence Force and the individual service chiefs—Chief of Navy, Chief of Army, and Chief of Air Force—all of whom are three-star officers (vice admiral, lieutenant general, or air marshal).
The CDF is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of his/her ministers. The appointment is politically neutral, as are all military positions, and not affected by a change of government.
History
Prior to 1958 there was no CDF or equivalent; a Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) existed but no separate position was established as its senior officer. Instead, the senior service chief served as Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.[5] In March 1958, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Wells was appointed Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, a role independent of and notionally senior to the Army, Navy and Air Force chiefs. However Wells and his successors did not command the Australian armed forces in any legal sense; the Chairman had only an advisory role in the running of the separate services. In February 1976, COSC was dissolved and the new position of Chief of Defence Force Staff (CDFS) was created with command authority over the ADF. In October 1984 the position was renamed Chief of the Defence Force to more clearly reflect the role and its authority.[6]
Appointments
Rank and prefix | Name | Postnominals | Service | Term began | Term ended | Time in appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee | ||||||
Lieutenant General Sir | Henry Wells | KBE, CB, DSO | Australian Army | 23 March 1958 | 22 March 1959 | 364 days |
Vice Admiral Sir | Roy Dowling | KBE, CB, DSO, RAN | Royal Australian Navy | 23 March 1959 | 27 May 1961 | 2 years, 65 days |
Air Chief Marshal Sir | Frederick Scherger | KBE, CB, DSO, AFC | Royal Australian Air Force | 28 May 1961 | 18 May 1966 | 4 years, 355 days |
General Sir | John Wilton | KBE, CB, DSO | Australian Army | 19 May 1966 | 22 November 1970 | 4 years, 187 days |
Admiral Sir | Victor Smith | AC, KBE, CB, DSC, RAN | Royal Australian Navy | 23 November 1970 | 23 November 1975 | 5 years, 0 days |
General | Frank Hassett | AC, CB, CBE, DSO, LVO | Australian Army | 24 November 1975 | 8 February 1976 | 76 days |
Chief of Defence Force Staff | ||||||
General Sir | Frank Hassett | AC, KBE, CB, DSO, LVO | Australian Army | 9 February 1976 | 20 April 1977 | 1 year, 70 days |
General Sir | Arthur MacDonald | KBE, CB | Australian Army | 21 April 1977 | 20 April 1979 | 1 year, 364 days |
Admiral Sir | Anthony Synnot | KBE, AO, RAN | Royal Australian Navy | 21 April 1979 | 20 April 1982 | 2 years, 364 days |
Air Chief Marshal Sir | Neville McNamara | KBE, AO, AFC, AE | Royal Australian Air Force | 21 April 1982 | 12 April 1984 | 1 year, 357 days |
General Sir | Phillip Bennett | AC, KBE, DSO | Australian Army | 13 April 1984 | 25 October 1984 | 195 days |
Chief of the Defence Force | ||||||
General Sir | Phillip Bennett | AC, KBE, DSO | Australian Army | 26 October 1984 | 12 April 1987 | 2 years, 168 days |
General | Peter Gration | AC, OBE | Australian Army | 13 April 1987 | 16 April 1993 | 6 years, 3 days |
Admiral | Alan Beaumont | AC, RAN | Royal Australian Navy | 17 April 1993 | 6 July 1995 | 2 years, 80 days |
General | John Baker | AC, DSM | Australian Army | 7 July 1995 | 3 July 1998 | 2 years, 361 days |
Admiral | Chris Barrie | AC, RAN | Royal Australian Navy | 4 July 1998 | 3 July 2002 | 3 years, 364 days |
General | Peter Cosgrove | AC, MC | Australian Army | 4 July 2002 | 3 July 2005 | 2 years, 364 days |
Air Chief Marshal | Angus Houston | AC, AFC | Royal Australian Air Force | 4 July 2005 | 3 July 2011 | 5 years, 364 days |
General | David Hurley | AC, DSC | Australian Army | 4 July 2011 | 30 June 2014 | 2 years, 361 days |
Air Chief Marshal | Mark Binskin | AC | Royal Australian Air Force | 30 June 2014 | Incumbent | 0 years, 3,759 days |
Living current and former Chiefs of the Defence Force
Rank | Name | Born |
General | Sir Phillip Bennett AC, KBE, DSO | 27 December 1928 | (age 95)
General | Peter Gration AC, OBE | 6 January 1932 | (age 92)
Admiral | Chris Barrie AC, RAN | 29 May 1945 | (age 79)
General | The Hon. Sir Peter Cosgrove AK, MC | 28 July 1947 | (age 77)
Air Chief Marshal | Angus Houston AC, AFC | 9 June 1947 | (age 77)
General | The Hon. David Hurley AC, DSC | 26 August 1953 | (age 71)
Air Chief Marshal | Mark Binskin AC | 20 March 1960 | (age 64)
Timeline
Images
Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee
-
Sir Henry Wells
(1958–1959) -
Sir Roy Dowling
(1959–1961) -
Sir Frederick Scherger
(1961–1966)
Chief of Defence Force Staff
-
Sir Neville McNamara
(1982–1984) -
Sir Phillip Bennett
(1984–1984)
Chief of the Defence Force
-
Sir Phillip Bennett
(1984–1987) -
Sir Peter Cosgrove
(2002–2005) -
Angus Houston
(2005–2011) -
David Hurley
(2011–2014) -
Mark Binskin
(2014–Present)
Notes
- ^ Chief of the Defence Force: Roles & Responsibilities. Retrieved on 29 March 2008.
- ^ Chief of the Defence Force: The Diarchy. Retrieved on 29 March 2008.
- ^ "New Australian Defence Force Command Team". Media Release. Office of the Prime Minister of Australia. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- ^ Chief of the Defence Force: Previous Chiefs. Retrieved on 29 March 2008.
- ^ Rowell, Full Circle, p. 178
- ^ Horner, "Evolution of Australian Higher Command Arrangements".
References
- Australian Government. "Department of Defence". Commonwealth of Australia.
- Horner, David (2002). "The Evolution of Australian Higher Command Arrangements". Command Papers. Centre for Defence Leadership Studies, Australian Defence College.