Editing Australian Defence Force (section)

===Command arrangements===
{{See also|Current senior Australian Defence Organisation personnel|Senior Australian Defence Organisation Positions}}
The ADF's command arrangements are specified in the ''Defence Act 1903'' and subordinate legislation.{{sfn|Khosa|2011|p=2}} This act states that the Minister for Defence "has general control and administration of the Defence Force" and that the CDF and the Secretary of the Department of Defence must "comply with any directions of the Minister".<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|da190356|Defence Act 1903|8}}</ref> The leaders of the ADO are also responsible to the junior ministers who are appointed to manage specific elements of the defence portfolio.{{sfn|Khosa|2011|p=2}} Under the [[First Albanese ministry|Albanese Ministry]] two cabinet-level ministers have been responsible for the Defence portfolio since May 2022: the position of Minister for Defence held by the [[Deputy Prime Minister of Australia|Deputy Prime Minister]] [[Richard Marles]], and [[Matt Keogh]] is the [[Minister for Defence Personnel]] and the [[Minister for Veterans' Affairs]]. In addition, there are two junior ministers: [[Matt Thistlethwaite]] is the Assistant Minister for Defence and Assistant Minister for Veterans' Affairs and [[Pat Conroy (politician)|Pat Conroy]] is the [[Minister for Defence Industry]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Department of Defence Ministers |url=https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200310102102/https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/ |archive-date=10 March 2020 |access-date=8 January 2023 |publisher=Department of Defence}}</ref>

The CDF is the most senior appointment in the ADF and commands the force.{{sfn|Khosa|2011|p=2}} The CDF is the only four-star officer in the ADF and is a [[General (Australia)|general]], [[Admiral (Australia)|admiral]] or [[Air chief marshal (Australia)|air chief marshal]]. As well as having command responsibilities, the CDF is the Minister for Defence's principal military adviser.{{sfn|Khosa|2011|p=3}} [[Admiral (Australia)|Admiral]] [[David Johnston (admiral)| David Johnston]] is the current CDF, and assumed this position on 10 July 2024.<ref>{{cite press release |author1=Minister for Defence Richard Marles |author2=Prime Minister Anthony Albanese |title=Appointment of Australian Defence Force senior leadership |url=https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2024-04-09/appointment-australian-defence-force-senior-leadership |website=Department of Defence Ministers |date=9 April 2024 |access-date=12 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Admiral David Lance Johnston |url=https://seapower.navy.gov.au/biography/admiral-david-lance-johnston |website=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=12 February 2025}}</ref> [[Hugh White (strategist)|Hugh White]], a prominent academic and former Deputy Secretary in the Department of Defence, has criticised the ADF's current command structure. White argues that the Minister plays too large a role in military decision-making and does not provide the CDF and Secretary of Defence with necessary and sufficient authority to manage the ADO effectively.<ref>{{cite news |first=Hugh |last=White |title=The real battle is far from the battlefield |url=https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/pubfiles/White%2C_The_real_battle_1.pdf |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 May 2006 |access-date=8 January 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108175620/https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/pubfiles/White%2C_The_real_battle_1.pdf |archive-date=8 January 2018 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Under the current ADF command structure the day-to-day management of the ADF is distinct from the command of military operations.{{sfn|Khosa|2011|p=13}} The services are administered through the ADO, with the head of each service (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]]) and the service headquarters being responsible for raising, training and sustaining combat forces. Each chief is also the CDF's principal adviser on matters concerning the responsibilities of their service. The CDF chairs the Chiefs of Service Committee which comprises the service chiefs, [[Vice Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)|Vice Chief of the Defence Force]] and the [[Chief of Joint Operations (Australia)|Chief of Joint Operations]] (CJOPS).{{sfn|Khosa|2011|pp=12–13}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/AboutUs.asp |title=Who we are and what we do |author=<!--Not stated--> |publisher=[[Department of Defence (Australia)|Australian Government Department of Defence]] |access-date=7 August 2017 |archive-date=10 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810044711/http://www.defence.gov.au/AboutUs.asp |url-status=live }}</ref> The CDF and service chiefs are supported by an integrated ADF Headquarters, which replaced separate service headquarters on 1 July 2017.<ref>{{cite news|title=Joining the forces|url=http://armynews.realviewdigital.com/?iid=153871#folio=2|access-date=25 January 2018|work=Army|publisher=Department of Defence|date=29 June 2017|page=2|archive-date=26 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126012654/http://armynews.realviewdigital.com/?iid=153871#folio=2|url-status=live}}</ref>

While the individual members of each service ultimately report to their service's Chief, the Chiefs do not control military operations. Control of ADF operations is exercised through a formal command chain headed by the CJOPS, who reports directly to the CDF. The CJOPS commands the [[Headquarters Joint Operations Command (Australia)|Headquarters Joint Operations Command]] (HQJOC) as well as temporary joint task forces. These joint task forces comprise units assigned from their service to participate in operations or training exercises.{{sfn|Khosa|2011|p=14}}{{sfn|Thomson|2017|p=35}}