Editing Australian Defence Force (section)

==Personnel==
[[File:16th Air Defence Regiment soldiers posing with RBS-70 July 2011.jpg|thumb|alt=Photograph of eight people wearing camouflage uniforms posing with a rocket launcher. Several camouflaged trucks are visible in the background.|Personnel from the Army's [[16th Air Land Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery|16th Air Land Regiment]] with one of the unit's [[RBS 70]] systems]]
The Australian military has been an [[Volunteer military|all-volunteer force]] since [[Conscription in Australia|the abolition of conscription in 1972]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Conscription|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/conscription|website=Encyclopedia|publisher=Australian War Memorial|access-date=6 January 2018|archive-date=7 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107120159/https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/conscription|url-status=live}}</ref> Both men and women can enlist in the ADF, with women being able to apply for all roles. Only Australian citizens and permanent residents who are eligible for Australian citizenship can enlist. Recruits must be aged at least 17, and meet health, educational and aptitude standards.<ref>{{cite web|title=Quick eligibility check|url=https://www.defencejobs.gov.au/joining/can-i-join/eligibility-check|website=Defence Jobs Australia|publisher=Manpower Services (Australia)|access-date=6 January 2018|archive-date=7 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107061906/https://www.defencejobs.gov.au/joining/can-i-join/eligibility-check|url-status=live}}</ref> The ADF is one of the few areas of the Australian Government to continue to have [[Mandatory retirement|compulsory retirement]] ages: permanent personnel must retire at 60 years of age and reservists at 65.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Australian Law Reform Commission|title=Recruitment and Employment Law|url=http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/2-recruitment-and-employment-law/compulsory-retirement|website=Grey Areas – Age Barriers to Work in Commonwealth Laws (DP 78)|publisher=Australian Law Reform Commission|access-date=31 December 2016|date=2012|archive-date=31 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231170721/http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/2-recruitment-and-employment-law/compulsory-retirement|url-status=live}}</ref> Both permanent and reserve personnel can work through flexible arrangements, including part-time hours or remotely from their duty station, subject to approval.{{sfn|Defence People Group|2017|p=20}} Discipline of defence personnel is guided by the ''Defence Force Discipline Act'' ''1982'', ultimately overseen by the [[Judge Advocate General (Australia)|Judge Advocate General]] of the ADF.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/jag/ |title=About the Judge Advocate General |work=[[Department of Defence (Australia)|Department of Defence]] |date=4 September 2014 |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=18 January 2016 |archive-date=27 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127065637/http://www.defence.gov.au/jag/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Demographics of Australia|Australian demographic trends]] will put pressure on the ADF in the future.{{sfn|Henry|2005|p=19}} Excluding other factors, the ageing of the Australian population will result in smaller numbers of potential recruits entering the Australian [[labour market]] each year. Some predictions are that population ageing will result in slower economic growth and increased government expenditure on pensions and health programs. As a result of these trends, the ageing of Australia's population may worsen the ADF's manpower situation and may force the Government to reallocate some of the Defence budget.{{sfn|Henry|2005|pp=22–23}} Few young Australians consider joining the military and the ADF has to compete for recruits against private sector firms which are able to offer higher salaries.{{sfn|Grey|2008|p=280}}

===Personnel numbers===
{{asof|2024|6|30|post=,}} the ADF comprised 57,226 permanent (full-time) and 32,560 active reserve (part-time) personnel.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date= |title=Defence Annual Report 2023-24 |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/about/accessing-information/annual-reports}}</ref> Compared to 57,036 permanent and 24,028 active reserve personnel ten years prior in June 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Defence Annual Report 2013-14 |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/about/accessing-information/annual-reports}}</ref> The Army is the largest service, followed by the RAAF and RAN. The ADO also employed 19,831 civilian [[Australian Public Service]] (APS) staff as at 30 June 2024.<ref name=":0" /> During the 2023–24 financial year 5,297 people enlisted in the ADF on a permanent basis and 5,422 left, representing a net loss of 125 personnel.<ref name=":0" /> 

The distribution of ADF personnel between the services and categories of service on 30 June 2024 was as follows:<ref name=":0" />

{| class=wikitable <!-- border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" -->
|- style="background:#efefef;"
|'''Service'''||'''Permanent'''||'''Active<br />Reserve'''||'''Total'''
|-
|Navy||align=right|14,742|| align="right" |4,844|| align="right" |'''19,586'''
|-
|Army||align=right|27,223|| align="right" |21,375|| align="right" |'''48,598'''
|-
|Air Force||align=right|15,261|| align="right" |6,341|| align="right" |'''21,602'''
|-
|'''Total'''||align=right|'''57,226'''|| align="right" |'''32,560'''|| align="right" |'''89,786'''
|}

[[File:Australian Defence Force permanent force personnel strengths 2002-03 to 2015-16.jpg|thumb|The average permanent strengths of the services between the 2002–03 and 2015–16 financial years{{sfn|Thomson|2016|p=61}}]]

The number of ADF personnel has changed over the last 20 years. During the 1990s the strength of the ADF was reduced from around 70,000 to 50,000 permanent personnel as a result of budget cuts and the outsourcing of some military functions. The ADF began to grow from 2000 after the defence white paper released that year called for an expansion to the military's strength, though the size of the military decreased between the 2003–04 to 2005–06 financial years due to problems with attracting further recruits. By 2009–10 the ADF was above its budgeted size, leading to reductions until 2014–15. The size of the ADF grew between the 2014–15 and 2016–17 financial years.{{sfn|Thomson|2017|p=64}} The ADF has not met its recruitment targets over the period since the 1995–96 financial year.{{sfn|Thomson|2017|p=65}}

In March 2022 Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that by 2040 the strength of the ADF would grow by around 30% to be almost 80,000 permanent personnel. The expansion is estimated to cost at least A$38 billion which includes increasing the number of APS personnel.<ref>{{cite press release |author1=Prime Minister Scott Morrison |title=Defence workforce to grow above 100,000 |url=https://www.pm.gov.au/media/defence-workforce-grow-above-100000 |website=Prime Minister of Australia |date=10 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hellyer |first1=Marcus |title=Where will Defence find 18,500 more people? |url=https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/where-will-defence-find-18500-more-people/ |access-date=7 May 2022 |work=The Strategist |publisher=The Australian Strategic Policy Institute |date=17 March 2022}}</ref>

In June 2024, the government announced a new policy to grow the ADF as outlined in the ''National Defence Strategy'' released in April 2024.<ref name="ADFpermresidents">{{cite press release |author1=Minister for Defence Richard Marles |author2=Minister for Defence Personnel Matt Keogh |title=Australian Defence Force opens recruitment to non-Australian citizens |url=https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2024-06-04/australian-defence-force-opens-recruitment-non-australian-citizens |website=Department of Defence Ministers |access-date=25 July 2024 |date=4 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |author=Minister for Defence Richard Marles |title=2024 National Defence Strategy |url=https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2024-04-17/2024-national-defence-strategy |website=Department of Defence Ministers |access-date=25 July 2024 |date=17 April 2024}}</ref> Under the policy, [[Australian permanent resident|permanent residents]] who have lived in Australia for 12 months from countries in the [[Five Eyes]] alliance will become eligible to join the ADF.<ref name="ADFpermresidents"/><ref name="ABCpermresidents">{{cite news |last1=Manfield |first1=Evelyn |last2=Lowrey |first2=Tom|title=Australian Defence Force recruitment to be opened to foreign citizens, causes government confusion |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-04/foreign-citizen-australian-defence-force-recruitment-opened/103931146 |access-date=25 July 2024 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=4 June 2024}}</ref> From July 2024, [[New Zealand]] permanent residents will be eligible to join the ADF.<ref name="ADFpermresidents"/> From January 2025, permanent residents from the [[United Kingdom]], [[United States]] and [[Canada]] will be eligible to join the ADF.<ref name="ADFpermresidents"/> Once the person has served 90 days in the ADF they will become eligible for Australian citizenship and would be expected to apply.<ref name="ABCpermresidents"/>

The ADF is small compared to [[List of countries by number of military and paramilitary personnel|many other national militaries]]. Both the number of personnel in the ADF and the share of the Australian population this represents is smaller than that in many countries in Australia's immediate region. Several [[NATO]] member countries, including France and the United States, also have a higher share of their population in the military.{{sfn|Thomson|2005|pp=4–5}} This is a continuation of long-term trends, as outside of major wars Australia has always had a relatively small military. The size of the force is a result of Australia's relatively small population and the military being structured around a maritime strategy focused on the RAN and RAAF rather than a manpower-intensive army.{{sfn|Thomson|2005|p=5}}{{sfn|Australian Government|2014|p=33}}

===Reserves===

Each of the branches of the ADF has a reserve component. These forces are the [[Royal Australian Naval Reserve]], [[Australian Army Reserve]] and [[Royal Australian Air Force Reserve]].{{sfn|Australian National Audit Office|2001|p=11}} The main role of the reserves is to supplement the permanent elements of the ADF during deployments and crises, including [[natural disaster]]s. This can include attaching individual reservists to regular units or deploying units composed entirely of reserve personnel.{{sfn|Australian National Audit Office|2001|p=29}} As reservists serve on a part-time basis, they are less costly to the government than permanent members of the ADF, but the nature of their service can mean that reservists have a lower level of readiness than regular personnel and require further training before they can be deployed.{{sfn|Australian National Audit Office|2001|p=30}} It has historically proven difficult to set a level of training requirements which allows reservists to be rapidly deployable yet does not act as a disincentive to recruitment and continued participation.{{sfn|Dennis et al|2008|p=46}} Successive governments since the 1960s have also been reluctant to use the "call out" powers to require reservists to undertake active service.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Smith|first1=Hugh|title=A 'total force' at last? Change in the Defence workforce|url=https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/a-total-force-at-last-change-in-the-defence-workforce/|website=The Strategist|publisher=Australian Strategic Policy Institute|access-date=7 January 2018|date=5 December 2013|archive-date=8 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108062359/https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/a-total-force-at-last-change-in-the-defence-workforce/|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:5-6 RVR ANZAC Day 2008.JPG|thumb|left|Members of the Army Reserve [[5th/6th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment]] marching through Melbourne on [[Anzac day]] 2006]]

There are two main categories of reserve personnel; those in the active reserve and those in the standby reserve.<ref name="Year_Book_Aust_2009-10_people">{{cite web |author=Australian Bureau of Statistics |year=2010 |title=People |url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/6D4CD661FDBA3226CA25773700169C59?opendocument |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110312161143/http://abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/6D4CD661FDBA3226CA25773700169C59?opendocument |archive-date=12 March 2011 |access-date=18 July 2010 |work=Year Book Australia, 2009–10 |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics |location=Canberra}}</ref> Members of the active reserve have an annual minimum training obligation.{{sfn|Australian National Audit Office|2001|p=31}} Reservists can volunteer to undertake more than the minimum periods of training and active service.{{sfn|Defence People Group|2017|p=6}} Members of the standby reserve are not required to undertake training, and would only be called up in response to a national emergency or to fill a specialised position. Most standby reservists are former full-time members of the ADF.{{sfn|Australian National Audit Office|2001|p=58}}{{sfn|Defence People Group|2017|p=11}}

While Australian Naval Reserve personnel are assigned to permanent units, most members of the Army Reserve and Air Force Reserve are members of reserve units. Most of the RAAF's reserve units are not intended to be deployed, and reserve personnel are generally attached to regular air force units during their periods of active service.{{sfn|Australian National Audit Office|2001|pp=36, 61, 65, 76}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Air Force Reserves|date=3 November 2017|url=https://www.airforce.gov.au/our-people/careers/reserves|publisher=Royal Australian Air Force|access-date=26 January 2018|archive-date=27 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127084046/https://www.airforce.gov.au/our-people/careers/reserves|url-status=live}}</ref> The Army Reserve is organised into permanent combat and support units, though most are currently manned at levels well below their authorised strengths and are not capable of deploying as formed units.{{sfn|Smith|2014|pp=42–43}}

The ADF's increased activities since 1999 and shortfalls in recruiting permanent personnel has led to reservists being more frequently called to active service.{{sfn|Grey|2008|p=280}} This has included large scale domestic deployments, which have included providing security for major events such as the [[2000 Summer Olympics]] and responding to natural disasters. Large numbers of reserve personnel have also been deployed as part of ADF operations in Australia's region; this has included the deployment of Army Reserve [[Company (military unit)|rifle companies]] to East Timor and the Solomon Islands. Smaller numbers of reservists have taken part in operations in locations distant from Australia.{{sfn|Department of Defence|2009|p=90}} Notably, companies of the Army Reserve 1st Commando Regiment were regularly deployed to Afghanistan as part of the Special Operations Task Group.<ref>{{cite web|title=1st Commando Regiment|url=https://www.army.gov.au/our-people/units/special-operations-command/1st-commando-regiment|publisher=Australian Army|access-date=31 December 2017|archive-date=31 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171231103353/https://www.army.gov.au/our-people/units/special-operations-command/1st-commando-regiment|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Training===
[[File:ADFA Aerial.jpg|thumb|The Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra]]
Individual training of Australian servicemen and women is generally provided by the services in their own training institutions. Each service has its own training organisation to manage this individual training. Where possible, however, individual training is increasingly being provided through tri-service schools.{{sfn|Horner|2001|p=281}}

Military academies include {{HMAS|Creswell}} for the Navy, [[Royal Military College, Duntroon]], for the Army, and the [[Officers' Training School RAAF|Officers' Training School]] for the Air Force. The [[Australian Defence Force Academy]] is a tri-service university for officer cadets of all services who wish to attain a university degree through the ADF. Navy recruit training is conducted at {{HMAS|Cerberus|naval base|6}}, Army recruits are trained at the [[Army Recruit Training Centre]] and Air Force recruits at [[RAAF Base Wagga]].{{sfn|Horner|2001|pp=294–301}}

===Women in the ADF===
{{Main|Women in the Australian military}}
Women first served in the Australian military during World War II when each service established a separate female branch. The RAAF was the first service to fully integrate women into operational units, doing so in 1977, with the Army and RAN following in 1979 and 1985 respectively.{{sfn|Horner|2001|pp=321–324}} The ADF initially struggled to integrate women, with integration being driven by changing Australian social values and Government legislation rather than a change in attitudes within the male-dominated military.{{sfn|Beaumont|2001|p=357}}
[[File:Able Seaman Maritime Logistics-Support Operations Codie-Lee Reid on HMAS Canberra at RIMPAC 2016.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A woman wearing a camouflaged military uniform on the deck of a ship|A female sailor assigned to HMAS ''Canberra'' in 2016]]

The number of positions available to women in the ADF has increased over time. Although servicewomen were initially barred from combat positions, these restrictions began to be lifted in 1990.{{sfn|Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Group|2000}} In September 2011 Minister for Defence Stephen Smith announced that the Cabinet had decided to remove all restrictions on women serving in combat positions, and that this change would come into effect within five years. This decision was supported by the CDF and the chiefs of the services.<ref>{{cite news|last=Thompson|first=Jeremy|title=Women cleared to serve in combat|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-27/women-on-the-frontline/2946258|date=27 September 2011|access-date=27 September 2011|newspaper=ABC News|archive-date=27 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927222526/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-27/women-on-the-frontline/2946258|url-status=live}}</ref> Serving women became able to apply for all positions on 1 January 2013 except special forces roles in the Army which became open to women in January 2014.<ref name="Lifting of gender restrictions">{{cite press release|title=Lifting of gender restrictions in the Australian Defence Force|url=http://news.defence.gov.au/2013/02/01/lifting-of-gender-restrictions-in-the-australian-defence-force/|publisher=Department of Defence|date=1 February 2013|access-date=3 February 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130324001506/http://news.defence.gov.au/2013/02/01/lifting-of-gender-restrictions-in-the-australian-defence-force/|archive-date=24 March 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="Johnston2014">{{cite speech |author1=Minister for Defence, Senator David Johnston |title=Minister for Defence – Opening address - Defence Women in Peace and Security Conference |url=https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/minister/david-johnston/speeches/minister-defence-opening-address-defence-women-peace-and-security |event=2014 Defence Women in Peace and Security Conference |access-date=15 March 2021 |date=16 June 2014 |archive-date=24 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424214941/https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/minister/david-johnston/speeches/minister-defence-opening-address-defence-women-peace-and-security |url-status=live }}</ref> In January 2016, civilian women became able to be directly recruited to all positions.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Landmark moment for women in the ADF |url=https://www.pmc.gov.au/news-centre/office-women/landmark-moment-women-adf |website=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=15 March 2021 |date=24 October 2018 |archive-date=14 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210314153441/https://pmc.gov.au/news-centre/office-women/landmark-moment-women-adf |url-status=live }}</ref>

Despite the expansion in the number of positions available to women and other changes which aim to encourage increased female recruitment and retention, the growth in the proportion of female permanent defence personnel has been slow.{{sfn|Thomson|2017|p=80}} In the 1989–1990 financial year women made up 11.4% of the ADF personnel. In the 2008–2009 financial year women occupied 13.5% of ADF positions. During the same period the proportion of civilian positions filled by women in the Australian Defence Organisation increased from 30.8% to 42.8%.{{sfn|Khosa|2010|p=79}} In 2017–2018, women made up 17.9% of the ADF's permanent force. The proportion of women in the permanent force differs by service: 14.3% of members of the Army are female, compared to 21.5% of the RAN and 22.1% for the RAAF.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.defence.gov.au/annualreports/17-18/Downloads/WomenInTheADFReport2017-18.pdf|title=Women in the ADF Report 2017–18|publisher=Australian Government Department of Defence|access-date=12 July 2019|archive-date=12 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712043225/http://www.defence.gov.au/annualreports/17-18/Downloads/WomenInTheADFReport2017-18.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015 the ADF adopted targets to increase the proportion of service personnel who are female by 2023: by this time it is planned that women will make up 25% of the RAN, 15% of the Army and 25% of the RAAF.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Davidson|first1=Helen|title=Australian Defence Force creates targets to increase number of female recruits|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/mar/24/australian-defence-force-creates-targets-to-increase-number-of-female-recruits|access-date=24 March 2015|work=The Guardian |date=24 March 2015|archive-date=24 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150324092310/http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/mar/24/australian-defence-force-creates-targets-to-increase-number-of-female-recruits|url-status=live}}</ref>{{sfn|Department of Defence|2016|pp=5–8}}

There continue to be concerns over the incidence of sexual abuse and gender-based discrimination in the ADF. In 2014 the [[Defence Abuse Response Taskforce]] estimated that around 1,100 currently-serving ADF personnel had abused other members of the military, and recommended that a [[royal commission]] be conducted to investigate long-running allegations of sexual abuse and assault of servicewomen at the Australian Defence Force Academy.<ref name="Government to seriously consider call for royal commission">{{cite news|last1=Wroe|first1=David|title=Defence abuse: Government to 'seriously' consider call for royal commission into abuse at the Australian Defence Force Academy|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/defence-abuse-government-to-seriously-consider-call-for-royal-commission-into-abuse-at-the-australian-defence-force-academy-20141126-11u1jq.html|access-date=5 December 2014|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=26 November 2014|archive-date=28 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141128184620/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/defence-abuse-government-to-seriously-consider-call-for-royal-commission-into-abuse-at-the-australian-defence-force-academy-20141126-11u1jq.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2013 Chief of Army General David Morrison publicly released a video in which he warned against gender-based discrimination, and stated that he would dismiss members of the Army who engaged in such conduct.<ref name="Morrison tells troops to respect women or get out">{{cite news|title=Chief of Army David Morrison tells troops to respect women or 'get out'|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-14/chief-of-army-fires-broadside-at-army-over-email-allegations/4753208|access-date=5 December 2014|work=ABC News|date=14 June 2014|archive-date=4 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104021115/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-14/chief-of-army-fires-broadside-at-army-over-email-allegations/4753208|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Ethnic and religious composition===
[[File:RAAF airman constructing a Joint Direct Attack Munition in February 2017.jpg|thumb|alt=A man wearing a blue T-shirt with a military logo working on a green bomb|A RAAF airman assembling a bomb]]
A high percentage of ADF personnel are drawn from the [[Anglo-Celtic Australian|Anglo-Celtic]] portion of Australia's population. In 2011 the proportion of ADF personnel born in Australia and the other predominately Anglo-Celtic countries was higher than this population group's share of both the Australian workforce and overall population.{{sfn|Thomson|2017|pp=77–79}} As a result, analyst Mark Thomson has argued that the ADF is unrepresentative of Australia's society in this regard and that recruiting more personnel from other ethnic backgrounds would improve the ADF's language skills and cultural empathy.{{sfn|Thomson|2009|pp=47–49}} In 2013, the ADF launched the ''Defence Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2012-2017'' to recruit more volunteers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and to improve statistics collection.{{sfn|Defence People Group|2014|pp=18–19}}

On 30 June 2020, 3.2% of ADF permanent personnel and 2.6% of Reserves were [[Indigenous Australians]].{{sfn|Department of Defence|2020|p=107}} The ''[[Reconciliation Action Plan|Defence Reconciliation Action Plan 2019-2022]]'' aims to increase the number of Indigenous Australians the ADF recruits and to improve their retention rate, and has set a target of 5% Indigenous representation by 2025.{{sfn|Department of Defence|2020|p=105}} Restrictions on Indigenous Australians' ability to enlist in the military existed until the 1970s, though hundreds of Indigenous men and women had joined the military when restrictions were reduced during the world wars. By 1992 the representation of Indigenous Australians in the ADF was equivalent to their proportion of the Australian population, though they continue to be under-represented among the officer corps. Two of the Army's three Regional Force Surveillance Units ([[NORFORCE]] and the [[Far North Queensland Regiment|51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment]]) are manned mostly by Indigenous Australian reservists.{{sfn|Dennis et al|2008|pp=3–5}} In 2015 Indigenous Australians made up around 2% of ADF personnel, which was smaller than the Indigenous share of the total Australian population.{{sfn|Thomson|2017|pp=78–79}}

In line with trends across the broader Australian population, the proportion of ADF personnel who are not religious has increased considerably over recent years. The proportion of ADF personnel who reported that their religion was Christianity in service censuses and human relations databases decreased from around 66% in 2003 to just over 52% in 2015. Over this period, the proportion who stated that they do not have a religious affiliation increased from 31% to 47%. Only 1% of ADF members reported having a non-Christian religious affiliation in 2015.{{sfn|Hoglin|2016|pp=20–23}} In 2023 it was reported that 80% of new ADF recruits did not have religious beliefs.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shepherd |first1=Tory |title=ADF has 108 evangelical chaplains with each representing just 15 members |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/30/adf-has-108-evangelical-chaplains-with-each-representing-just-15-members |access-date=30 July 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=30 July 2023}}</ref>

===Sexuality and gender identity===
[[File:Australian Army Soldiers marching in the 2020 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.jpg|thumb|alt=Colour photo of men and women marching down a street while wearing green military uniforms|Soldiers marching in the 2020 [[Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras]]. An official Defence contingent was permitted to begin marching in the parade during 2008, and its personnel have worn military uniforms since 2013.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://news.defence.gov.au/2015/03/07/largest-ever-defence-contingent-to-march-in-mardi-gras-parade/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315025356/http://news.defence.gov.au/2015/03/07/largest-ever-defence-contingent-to-march-in-mardi-gras-parade/|archive-date=15 March 2015|date=7 March 2015|publisher=Australian Government|author=Department of Defence|title=Largest ever Defence contingent to march in Mardi Gras parade}}</ref>]]
{{Main|Sexual orientation and gender identity in the Australian military}}
Australia allows gay men and lesbians to serve openly. Openly gay and lesbian personnel were banned from the ADF until November 1992 when the Australian Government decided to remove this prohibition. The heads of the services and most military personnel opposed this change at the time, and it caused considerable public debate.{{sfn|Grey|2008|p=275}}{{sfn|Dennis et al|2008|p=264}} Opponents of lifting the ban on gay and lesbian personnel argued that doing so would greatly harm the ADF's cohesiveness and cause large numbers of resignations. This did not eventuate, and the reform caused few problems.{{sfn|Dennis et al|2008|pp=264–265}} A 2000 study found that lifting the ban on gay service did not have any negative effects on the ADF's morale, effectiveness or recruitment and retention, and may have led to increased productivity and improved working environments.{{sfn|Belkin|McNichol|2000|pp=2–3}} Few members of the ADF [[Coming out|came out]] as lesbian, gay or bisexual until the late 1990s, however, and those who did were not always welcomed by their comrades.{{sfn|Riseman|2018|pp=36–38}}

ADF personnel in same-sex relationships experienced discriminatory treatment until the 2000s. This included Defence not recognising same-sex spouses, which prevented these couples from receiving the financial entitlements available to opposite-sex couples and could be a barrier to the spouse being treated as their partner's [[next of kin]].{{sfn|Riseman|2018|p=38}} The ADF officially recognised same-sex relationships in 2005, and since 1 January 2009 these couples [[Same-sex unions and military policy#Australia|have had the same access]] to military retirement pensions and superannuation as opposite-sex couples.{{sfn|Riseman|2018|p=41}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Defence law changes recognise same-sex couples|url=http://abc.gov.au/news/stories/2008/12/18/2450532.htm?site=news|access-date=5 September 2010|work=ABC News|date=18 December 2010|archive-date=5 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105154651/http://abc.gov.au/news/stories/2008/12/18/2450532.htm?site=news|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Transgender]] personnel have been permitted to serve in the ADF since 2010, and are provided with support when necessary.{{sfn|Riseman|2018|pp=42–43}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Farr|first=Malcolm|title=Army leader General David Morrison wants to defeat sexism|url=http://www.news.com.au/national-news/army-leader-general-david-morrison-wants-to-defeat-sexism-after/story-fncynjr2-1226663795362|access-date=16 June 2013|newspaper=News.com.au|date=14 June 2013|archive-date=15 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615022637/http://www.news.com.au/national-news/army-leader-general-david-morrison-wants-to-defeat-sexism-after/story-fncynjr2-1226663795362|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite the removal of restrictions on gay and lesbian personnel, harassment and discrimination continued to occur; for instance a 2013 survey found that 10% of gay soldiers had experienced discrimination and more than 30% hid their sexuality.<ref>{{cite news|last1=McPhedran|first1=Ian|title=Gay soldiers safe from harassment but hide sexuality, survey finds|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/gay-soldiers-safe-from-harassment-but-hide-sexuality-survey-finds/news-story/fd40b4ae74f3409ebe33a332675ff45f|access-date=1 January 2018|work=news.com.au|date=9 September 2013|archive-date=15 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171015172513/http://www.news.com.au/national/gay-soldiers-safe-from-harassment-but-hide-sexuality-survey-finds/news-story/fd40b4ae74f3409ebe33a332675ff45f|url-status=live}}</ref> The ADF has actively encouraged the inclusion of LGBTI personnel since the mid-2010s, with its leadership highlighting the importance of the issue and the military justice system being strongly used to prevent harassment and discrimination. Defence Force Recruiting also encourages LGBTI people to enlist.{{sfn|Riseman|2018|pp=29, 43–44}} As of 2023, 4.8 percent of ADF personnel identified as members of the [[LGBT community|LGBTI+ community]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brewer |first1=Peter |title=ADFA cadets march into college, and in Sydney, Defence personnel join WorldPride week, Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras|url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8097648/cadets-march-into-college-serving-military-on-the-march-at-mardi-gras/?cs=14329 |access-date=25 February 2023 |work=The Canberra Times |date=24 February 2023 |language=en-AU}}</ref>