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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Daniel Hurst Foreign affairs and defence correspondent

Australia may use defence exchanges with Pacific countries to tackle ADF recruitment crisis

ADF Richard Marles Andrew Hastie
Australian troops stand in a line
Defence minister Richard Marles says the government is exploring opportunities to ‘build on’ exchanges and cooperation with defence forces in the Pacific, including Papua New Guinea. Photograph: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

The Australian government wants to broaden defence exchanges with Pacific countries amid wider fears the Australian defence force will struggle to meet recruitment targets over the coming decades.

Figures show the ADF’s permanent workforce strength increased from about 56,100 in 2012-13 to 59,300 in 2021-22 – meaning growth on average of just 300 a year during the life of the Coalition government.

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