Ready to Put a Rocket up Defence

Peter Dutton just looks like an ex-copper, although the exterior I’ve been told belies a thoughtful, even charming person. Politically, though, Dutton often lives up to his appearance: tough, no-nonsense, even a head-kicker when needs be.

Certainly, those were the qualities Dutton brought to the Home Affairs portfolio and its often troublesome border security policy. Despite the nay-saying of the left, who had so spectacularly stuffed border policy, Dutton brought the issue under quick control.

Now he appears to be bringing the same approach to the equally troubled Defence portfolio.

Defence policy in Australia has overseen such debacles as the Attack Class submarine project – a boondoggle that threatens to undermine Australia’s naval capability for years – and the 99-year lease of the Port of Darwin to a Chinese company with Defence approval. The Morrison government has struggled to bring Defence to heel, under former Minister Linda Reynolds.

Peter Dutton has been brought in to thump some heads – and it looks like he’s got the ol’ phone book ready.

Peter Dutton has insulated his ministerial office from interference by Defence, accepting only the bare minimum of departmental staff as he prepares to shake up his $44bn portfolio.

The Australian has learned the Defence Minister has allowed just two departmental liaison officers and a uniformed aide-de-camp to work on his staff, in stark contrast to his predecessor Linda Reynolds whose office was stacked with ­Defence bureaucrats.

Dutton isn’t just paring back the brass’s influence to the bone, but sweeping his office clean.

The DLOs — a feature of all ministerial offices — were brought in fresh from the Defence Department after he was named to the post in late March, rather than keeping on those who had worked for Senator Reynolds.

It’s understood he relies on his aide de camp, a naval officer, for ceremonial and protocol support.

The big problem with Defence, historically, is not political interference, but the other way ‘round: Ministers have a tendency to go native faster than a conservative appointment to the ABC board.

Defence is famed for co-opting and even undermining its ministers, limiting the tenure of many who occupy the role.

Mr Dutton’s move to keep the department at arm’s length comes as he works on plans to get major procurements back on track, including the troubled $90bn Future Submarines program.

There is speculation this could include key personnel changes inside Defence’s Capability and Sustainment Group.

Senator Reynolds, a former Army Reserve officer who critics said was “captured” by her department, had 12 Defence staff in her ministerial office in 2020 who were on unpaid leave or filling temporary roles, as well as two DLOs and an aide-de-camp.

Mr Dutton’s approach at Defence is similar to the way he ran Home Affairs, when he allowed only one departmental staffer in his office in addition to the standard two DLOs.

Dutton seems particularly keen to limit the policy influence of Defence officials.

He is riding Defence hard to provide solid policy advice, but is determined to keep officials away from the decision-making process.
One source said: “No one from Defence is allowed anywhere near policy in Dutton’s office”[…]

It’s understood Mr Dutton is working on plans for a major intervention in Defence shipbuilding programs, which face cost and schedule blowouts.

Mr Dutton, who has warned the prospect of a war with China cannot be discounted, is understood to be focused on delivering near-term capability upgrades to the ADF, given the acknowledgment in last year’s Defence Strategic Update that Australia can no longer rely on a 10-year warning time before a major conflict.

The Australian

Dutton is bringing a much-needed dose of hard-headed realism and no-bullshit to what will undoubtedly be a critical portfolio for Australian governments in the next few decades.

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