Thread by @Raymartin55

🧵 Never Assume

In 40 yrs in the ADF as a military officer, commander & strategic planner I had the duty of briefing a wide range of politicians across the political divide. Mostly those to the Govt of the day. And at the direction of the Govt:the Opposition

#auspol #qt 1/21

Those duties also included at times accompanying politicians (with a Service Chief) to overseas operations, writing briefs for #qt accompanying the Chief to Senate Estimates, preparing cabinet submissions and taking the calls of ‘staffers’

2/21

The ADF is by convention absolutely apolitical. It serves the nation via the Government. (My simplified definition)

The ADF (&Defence) prepare ‘options’ for the Government and remain prepared for a wide range of contingencies

The Govt directs the ADF

The CDF commands

3/21

There are of course differences in Defence policy between the two parties that have formed Govt in Aus.

Mostly around the edges. (My view)

But the ADF does NOT support one Party over another.

It takes the lawful direction of the Govt of the day and gets on with it.

4/ 21

In my long experience we NEVER had political discussions with politicians. EVER.

We discussed Operations, intelligence, military options, the football. But we did NOT discuss politics.

We had to be apolitical. We didn’t go there.

5 / 21

Even between ourselves the discussion of politics was minimal. We had the odd bitch about a decision- but never with our superiors or subordinates

Individually of course we had political views. We voted across the spectrum. We didn’t talk about who we voted for.

6/ 21

The institution of the ADF is a small c conservative one. Those within have individual views but are bound to be apolitical.

In all the briefings I ever had to do this apolitical convention was known, accepted and followed by all parties with one exception …

7/ 21

I recall two briefings in particular. I was directed to write a report on the briefings at the time.

In mid Nov 92 the Govt (ALP) had just decided to deploy an Infantry Battalion to Somalia. (First battalion deployment since Vietnam.)

8/ 21

I was the acting Director of Operations, had written the CabSub, and was directed via the CDF - via the Govt to brief the Opposition. Same brief delivered twice.

Once to Tim Fischer. National Party Leader. And then to the Opposition Shadow Defence Minister …

9/ 21

November 92. In the background there was election looming.

For my boss and I. Me an Army Colonel, him an Air Vice Marshal, the election was the last thing on our minds. (We had never once spoken about politics)

Politicians are always time poor. A 15 min brief …

10 / 21

… or a 5 min overview if they were called away.

First up Tim Fischer. I had briefed him before about other issues. Alert, attentive, good questions. Thoroughly professional. Completely non partisan. No mention of course of an election - that was Irrelevant.

11 / 21

This indeed was typical of my interactions with all politicians across the divide …

Then we briefed the Shadow Minister for Defence … OMG.

He was accompanied by one staffer. The AVM and me in uniform sat around a small table and I unfurled the map of Somalia …

12 / 21

I checked if we had 15 minutes and commenced.

I spoke about the mission, area of Ops, risks, casualties, command arrangements. Well that was the plan.

One minute in he said. ‘There is an election coming up. I want you to advise me when Minister Ray is planning to …

13 / 21

… visit the troops. He will be getting face time on Tv. We need that too …’

Silence. Pause.

‘Sir, I’m not aware of when Minister Ray may visit the troops. If at all. You will need to take that up directly with the Government / Minister’s office’

14/ 21

‘Sir, there is a chance that NZ will deploy an infantry company with 1RAR and if they do, the Kiwis will provide the Battalion 2IC …’

‘Oh, (laughter) a bit like the Nationals; even though they are dickheads we give ‘em the number 2 job?’

Me - silence

I ploughed on

15 /21

Things went down hill rapidly from there

Inappropriate jokes and more talk of the election

‘When WE get in, we’ll fix things for you!’

Me and my boss: Silence

Staffer. We need to wrap up

Shadow Minister ‘Don’t forget tell me the minute you know Min Ray is visiting

16 / 21

My boss the Air Vice Marshall.

No sir - as Colonel Martin has already advised - please take that issue up with Minister Ray’s office.

The Shadow Defence Minister had absolutely crossed the line. We had never seen this before.

His name was Downer.

17/ 21

He had assumed that two serving senior members of the ADF would be conservatives / supporters.

(Neither of us had ever spoken about politics. To this day I wouldn’t know how the AVM voted)

We were absolutely apolitical.

All parties need to recognise this.

18 / 21

Due to the nature of the interaction and attempted direction we were given to advise the Opposition on the Minister’s movements I was directed to write a report for the Minister. I duly did. Heard nothing more of it.

Lesson. If a Minister is saying that the ADF supports

19/21

One Party or another that to me is a red flag.

It’s either not based on fact or we need to be very concerned.

Ps. As we hopped into the Parliamentary lift I turned to my boss - who had never once offered a political view and asked ‘What did you think of that Sir?’

20/21

He paused and stunned me by saying. ‘If they get in and he becomes the Minister, heaven help us.’

I wrote the report and we never spoke politics again.

We continued to serve the Government of the day.

No doubt like the ADF does today.

Ends

21 of 21

Correction. Just checked Bob Breen’s excellent book on the Australian Force in Somalia. A Little Bit of Hope. Our planning for what was to be known as OPERATION SOLACE COMMENCED in Mid Nov 92. Govt approved CabSub 14 Dec. Our Brief to Opposition 15 or 16 Dec 92.