View source for Australian Defence Organisation

{{Short description|Australian government agency}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name     = Australian Defence Organisation
| logo            = 
| logo_caption    = The [[Australian Defence Force Ensign|Australian Defence Force tri-service flag]]
| formed          = {{start date|df=yes|1976|02|09}}
| jurisdiction    = Australia
| headquarters    = [[Canberra]]
| employees       = 82,724 (2024-25, estimated)
| budget          = {{AUD}}53.58 billion (2024-25, estimated)
| minister1_name  = [[Richard Marles]]
| minister1_pfo   = [[Minister for Defence (Australia)|Minister for Defence]]<ref name=a>{{Cite web|url=https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/|title=Department of Defence Ministers|website=www.minister.defence.gov.au|language=en|access-date=15 August 2024}}</ref>
| minister2_name  = [[Pat Conroy (politician)|Pat Conroy]]
| minister2_pfo   = Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery<ref name="a"/>
| minister3_name  = [[Matt Keogh]]
| minister3_pfo   = Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Minister for Defence Personnel<ref name="a"/>
| minister4_name  = 
| minister4_pfo   = 
| chief1_name     = [[Greg Moriarty]]
| chief1_position = [[Secretary of the Department of Defence (Australia)|Secretary of Defence]]<ref name="Defence Leaders"/>
| chief2_name     = [[David Johnston (admiral)|David Johnston]]
| chief2_position = [[Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)|Chief of the Defence Force]]<ref name="Defence Leaders"/>
| chief3_name     = 
| chief3_position = 
| child2_agency   = [[Department of Defence (Australia)|Department of Defence]]
| child1_agency   = [[Australian Defence Force]]
| website         = {{URL|defence.gov.au}}
}}

The '''Australian Defence Organisation''' ('''ADO''') is an [[Australian Government]] organisation that consists of the [[Australian Defence Force]] (ADF), the [[Department of Defence (Australia)|Department of Defence]] (DoD, also branded as Defence Australia<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dennett |first=Harley |date=2022-05-17 |title=Federal department drops the D-word in rebrand |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7740757/federal-department-drops-the-d-word-in-rebrand/ |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=The Canberra Times |language=en-AU}}</ref>), and other related organisations. In present use, the ADO is referred to as '''Defence'''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2022-23 Annual report |url=https://www.ombudsman.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/301202/Commonwealth-Ombudsman-Annual-Report-2022-23.pdf.pdf |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman |page=52}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Organisation structure |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/about/who-we-are/organisation-structure |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407173518/https://www.defence.gov.au/about/who-we-are/organisation-structure |archive-date=2024-04-07 |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=Defence}}</ref> Defence's mission and purpose is "to defend Australia and its national interests in order to advance Australia’s security and prosperity".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Defence mission |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/about/who-we-are/defence-mission |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=Defence}}</ref>

==Organisation==
Defence consists of several smaller interrelated military and corporate organisations. The two most significant organisations are the ADF, led by the [[Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)|Chief of the Defence Force]] who is Australia's senior military leader, and the DoD, managed by the [[Secretary of the Department of Defence (Australia)|Secretary of the Department of Defence]] who is a senior [[Australian Public Service|public servant]] accountable under the ''Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.''<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 July 2017 |title=Defence's Management of Materiel Sustainment |url=https://www.anao.gov.au/work/performance-audit/defence-management-materiel-sustainment |website=Australian National Audit Office |at=Footnote 17}}</ref>

In addition to the two primary organisations, a number of other entities are considered part of Defence:
* The [[Australian Signals Directorate]] (ASD) is an independent statutory agency under the  ''[[Intelligence Services Act 2001]].''
* The [[Australian Submarine Agency]] is a non-corporate Commonwealth entity under the [[Department of Defence (Australia)|DoD]].
* Both the [[Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force|Inspector-General of the ADF]] and the [[Australian honours and awards system#Military theatre and battle honours, honour titles and distinctions|Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal]] are independent statutory offices created by the ''[[Defence Act 1903]]'' which operate within the DoD. 
* Defence additionally contains a number of independent statutory offices created by the ''[[Defence Force Discipline Act 1982]].''
* Various other trusts and companies support the mission of defence, including the [[Australian Strategic Policy Institute]], [[Defence Housing Australia]] and funds and trusts associated with branches of the ADF.<ref name=":1" />

Entities within Defence report to the [[Minister for Defence (Australia)|Minister for Defence]], but the defence minster's portfolio and ADO are not identical, for example the [[Department of Veterans' Affairs (Australia)|Department of Veterans' Affairs]] reports to the defence minister but is not part of Defence.<ref>{{Cite web |date=Oct 1998 |title=Defence Annual Report 1997-98 |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/AnnualReports/97-98/full.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org.au/awa/20210121133742mp_/https://www.defence.gov.au/AnnualReports/97-98/full.pdf |archive-date=2021-01-21 |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=Defence |page=vii}}</ref>

For the 2024-25 financial year, as estimated in the ''Defence Portfolio Budget Statement'' prepared as part of the [[2024 Australian federal budget]], Defence's    total workforce was 82,724 people (16,331 Navy personnel, 31,339 Army personnel, 15,927 Air Force personnel and 19,127 [[Australian Public Service|public servants]]), and Defence received {{AUD}}53.58 billion in government funding.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 2024 |title=2024-25 Defence PBS |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-05/2024-25_Defence_PBS_00_Complete.pdf |website=Defence }}</ref>

The ADO is understood to be a [[diarchy]], a rare organisational structure intended to take advantage of "the responsibilities and complementary abilities of public servants and military officials".<ref>{{Citation |author=Senate Select Committee for an inquiry into a certain maritime incident |title=Report |date=2002-10-02 |website=www.aph.gov.au |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Former_Committees/maritimeincident/report/index |access-date=2024-06-18 |at=Chapter 7 - Accountability |language=en-AU}}</ref> The 2014 [https://www.defence.gov.au/about/reviews-inquiries/first-principles-review-creating-one-defence ''First Principles Review''], taken up in the [[2016 Defence White Paper]], recommended moving to operate as a more integrated organisation, amid public criticism of the diarchy structure.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dobell |first=Graeme |date=2015-02-08 |title=To shake or axe the Defence diarchy |url=https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/to-shake-or-axe-the-defence-diarchy/ |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=The Strategist |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-08/2016-Defence-White-Paper.pdf |title=2016 Defence White Paper |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |year=2016 |isbn=978-0-9941680-5-4 |pages=174}}</ref>
{{multiple image
 | align = rights
 | direction = vertical
 | thumb
 | caption2 = Examples of ADO number plates
 | image1 = 1992 Australian Defence Organisation registration plate D1506X.jpg
 | alt1 = Registration plate with number D1506X above the text Australian Defence Organisation
 | image2 = ADO,F16LOO.jpg
 | alt2 = Registration plate with number F16LOO above the text Australian Defence Organisation
}}
While Defence is more commonly used, use of 'Australian Defence Organisation'  to refer to the entities collectively is longstanding practice.<ref>{{Cite journal | author1=Andrews, FB | title=Integrated Communications for the Australian Defence Organisation | journal=Communications Conference 1990: Electronic Communications in the 1990's - A New Era; Preprints of Papers | publication-date=1990 | publisher=Institution of Engineers, Australia | pages=147–151 | isbn=978-0-85825-507-4 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/39408885?keyword=%22Australian%20Defence%20Organisation%22&sortBy=dateAsc&startPos=0 |access-date=2024-06-18 }}</ref> For example, 'Australian Defence Organisation' can still be seen on the [[Vehicle registration plate|number plates]] of vehicles managed by the Australian Defence Organisation Commercial Vehicles Fleet, operated by the [[Australian Army]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=Feb 2024 |title=Australian Defence Organisation Commercial Vehicles Fleet |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/defence-activities/projects/australian-defence-organisation-commercial-vehicles-fleet |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=Defence}}</ref>

==Australian Defence Force==
The armed forces of Australia are the [[Australian Defence Force]], consisting of three branches: the [[Royal Australian Navy]], [[Australian Army]] and [[Royal Australian Air Force]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Organisation structure |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/about/who-we-are/organisation-structure |website=Department of Defence |access-date=15 August 2024}}</ref><ref name="Defence Leaders"/> Command of the Australian Defence Force, under the direction of Defence Minister, is the primary responsibility of the Chief of the Defence Force, currently [[Admiral (Australia)|Admiral]] [[David Johnston (admiral)|David Johnston]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Chief of the Defence Force |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/about/who-we-are/leaders/chief-defence-force|author=<!--Not stated-->|date=<!--Not stated-->|website=Department of Defence|publisher=Commonwealth of Australia|access-date=15 August 2024}}</ref>

Reporting to the Chief of Defence Force are the [[Chief of Navy (Australia)|Chief of Navy]], [[Chief of Army (Australia)|Chief of Army]], and [[Chief of Air Force (Australia)|Chief of Air Force]].<ref name="Defence Leaders">{{cite web |title=Leaders|url=https://www.defence.gov.au/about/who-we-are/leaders|website=Department of Defence|publisher=Commonwealth of Australia|access-date=14 August 2024}}</ref> Each Chief manages the day-to-day executive operations of their branch with both discretionary decision making authority and direction from the Chief of the Defence Force and the various Ministers of the defence portfolio and often cooperate with their counterparts from the other services as well as the Department of Defence.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=22 June 2020 |title=Defence Organisational Structure Chart |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/Publications/Docs/DefenceOrgChart.pdf |website=Department of Defence | archive-date=27 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527081349/https://defence.gov.au/publications/Docs/DefenceOrgChart.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Vice Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)|Vice Chief of the Defence Force]], currently Vice Air Marshal [[Robert Chipman]], is responsible for joint force integration, preparedness and military strategy, interoperability, and designing the future force.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vice Chief of the Defence Force|url=https://www.defence.gov.au/about/who-we-are/leaders/vice-chief-defence-force|website=Department of Defence|publisher=Commonwealth of Australia|access-date=15 August 2024}}</ref> The [[Joint Operations Command (Australia)|Joint Operations Command]] oversees all joint deployments of the Australian Defence Force and is commanded by the Chief of Joint Operations. The [[Chief of Joint Capabilities|Joint Capabilities Group]], commanded by the Chief of Joint Capabilities, provides joint military professional education and training, logistics support, health support and oversees the Joint Logistics Command, [[Joint Health Command (Australia)|Joint Health Command]], [[Australian Defence College]], and the Information Warfare Division.<ref name="Defence Leaders"/>

==Department of Defence==
[[Image:Russell Offices.JPG|thumb|The main offices of the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force's administrative headquarters are located in the Russell Offices complex in Canberra]]
The Department of Defence is one of the three original Australian Government departments created at [[Federation of Australia]] in 1901, alongside the [[Attorney-General's Department (Australia)|Attorney-General's Department]] and the [[Treasury (Australia)|Treasury]]. It is the Australian Public Service entity that provides advice, coordination, and program delivery for defence and military policy.

The Department of Defence also manages and oversees a range of public service and defence force agencies and organisations that deliver and develop the capabilities and services that support the Australian Defence Force. Such agencies include the Army and Air Force Canteen Service, the Defence Community Organisation, and [[Defence Housing Australia]].

The Department also includes key groups including the [[Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group]], the [[Defence Science and Technology Group]], and the [[Defence Intelligence Group|Defence Strategic Policy and Intelligence Group]] (which oversees the [[Australian Signals Directorate]], [[Defence Intelligence Organisation]], and [[Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation]]).

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Australian Department of Defence}}
{{Australian Defence Force}}
{{ADF Leadership}}
{{Royal Australian Navy}}
{{Australian Army}}
{{RAAF}}
{{Australia topics}}
{{Military of Asia}}

[[Category:Australian Defence Organisation]]
[[Category:Australian Defence Force]]
[[Category:Department of Defence (Australia)|Department of Defence]]
[[Category:Military of Australia]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Government agencies of Australia]]