An additional $600 million will be provided to help the Australian Defense Force attract and retain personnel, following the release of a major report which found it needs to almost double its annual income over the next decade.
The Defense Workforce Plan 2024, to be published on Tuesday, will outline workforce growth targets for the ADF to reach its target of 69,000 troops by early 2030, and a combined ADF and public service target of around 100,000 by 2040.
Junior staff will also soon be eligible for a $40,000 bonus to boost Australian Army recruitment and retention.
“The highly competitive national labor market across all sectors and record low levels of unemployment will continue to put pressure on Defence’s ability to attract and retain the right people,” the report says.
‘To stabilize, remediate and grow the ADF’s permanent workforce, the influx must increase from approximately 5,500 per year to 9,000 per year over the next decade.
“In parallel, the ADF’s average length of permanent service should increase from around seven years to around 12 years.”
The Albanian government said funding of $600 million would help achieve this.
“Our ADF personnel are our greatest capability, so it is crucial that the Defense workforce has the people it needs to help protect Australia’s strategic interests,” Defense Minister Richard Marles said.
The Albanian government will announce $600 million of new funding to help the ADF increase its recruitment and retention of personnel.
‘The 2024 workforce plan will help ensure Defense can recruit, retain and grow the highly specialized and skilled workforce needed to meet its capability needs.
‘The Albanian government is committed to making the necessary investments to support our current Defense workforce and grow it for the future.
Tuesday’s new $600 million in funding will include an extension of the $50,000 two-year continuation pilot bonus for lower-ranking permanent forces personnel, plus additional investment to meet the target for operational reservists.
Personnel can access the bonus if they remain in the force for an additional three years after completing their initial four-year service obligation.
While the bonus incentive will be reduced to $40,000 to cater for the 2025-26 financial year expansion, the scheme will be extended to eligible permanent members who are at the end of their initial four-year service obligation.
A second cohort of members approaching the seven to nine year service period will also be allowed access to the initiative to drive career progression towards the ADF’s mid-ranks and continued service.
The Defense workplace plan says the Continuation Bonus has recorded an uptake rate of almost 80 per cent and boosted the continued service of more than 3,100 ADF junior personnel.
“These retention bonuses are short-term initiatives to relieve pressure on the ADF’s junior and middle ranks, and address the gap in the force,” he says.
Defense Minister Richard Marles to announce expanded access to $40,000 Continuation Bonus to boost staff retention
Defense Personnel Minister Matt Keogh said the initiatives would help deliver “lasting institutional change to improve Defense culture and the health, safety and wellbeing of our people and ADF families”.
“The Defense Workforce Plan details a transformation and sets out how we will provide the right number of people with the right skills, while continuing to create a positive and effective working environment for our people,” he said.
In figures detailed in the 2024 budget documents, the ADF’s total workforce was estimated to be 76,290 in 2023-24, and the ADF’s estimated permanent force for 2024-25 is expected to be 58,600, almost 5,000 personnel per below the budgeted amount.
Hiring difficulties were related to high layoff rates and lower-than-expected meeting of hiring targets.
ADF reservists will also need to be increased by 1,000 by 2030, to improve the “readiness of the Navy, Air Force and Joint Capabilities Group”.
On Tuesday, Marles will also announce an additional $14 million to boost Ukraine’s maritime and coastal defense capabilities through 14 rigid-hull ships.
Since Russia illegally invaded Ukraine on February 22, 2022, Australia has provided Ukraine with more than $1.3 billion in military support, plus an additional $1.5 billion in support for its government.
Marles reiterated Australia’s “proud” continued support for the Eastern European country.
‘Australia remains firmly committed to supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. “This is in Australia’s interest and is the right thing to do,” he said.
‘Ukraine has demonstrated its ability to thwart Russia’s continued attacks from the Black Sea.