Government says record recruits and 1.9 per cent increase to ADF headcount ‘rebuilding’ the nations forces

A 17 per cent increase in the number of Australian Defence Force recruits in 12 months is being hailed by the Albanese Government as proof it’s “rebuilding” depleted miliary ranks.

New ADF enlistments grew to 7059 last financial year, up from 6041 over the previous 12 months and the largest increase since 2009.

“It is essential that Australia has the Defence Force it needs to help protect its strategic interests,” Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said.

“That is why we have made significant investments to support our current Defence workforce and grow it for the future.

“When the Albanese Government came to office we inherited a personnel crisis. Throughout the near-decade the Coalition was in office, the ADF grew by just 2,000 people.”

Headcount data release by the Albanese Government shows there were 59,550 ADF personnel in 2009 - that fell to 56,909 in 2012 before recovering and climbing to 61,336 in the 2020-21 financial year.

Upon taking office in 2022, the Labor government inherited a slightly smaller defence force of just over 60,000 personnel, which it had grown by 1.9 per cent to 61,189 last financial year.

It is still more than 1500 short of the ADF’s authorised strength of of 62,700 permanent members.

“Thanks to our recruitment and retention initiatives the Australian Defence Force is seeing increased applications, enlistments and more people staying in service,” Minister for Defence Personnel Matt Keogh said.

“A stabilised and strengthened workforce is the foundation that we need to continue to grow, to reskill and transform to have the future workforce required to deliver against the 2024 National Defence Strategy.”

Mr Keogh said the Government had introduced a series of reforms including expanding health care services for ADF personnel boosting the Defence Assisted Study Scheme and broadened the recruitment system.

All of the measures were contributing to lower attrition and higher enlistments.