Assistant defence minister clears up ADF recruitment confusion following opposition backlash

Assistant Defence Minister Matt Thistlethwaite on Wednesday walked back a Labor colleague’s suggestion all foreigners would soon be eligible to join the ADF. Vote in our poll.

Assistant Defence Minister Matt Thistlethwaite on Wednesday walked back a Labor colleague’s suggestion all foreigners would soon be eligible to join the ADF.

The slap down came a day after Defence Minister Richard Marles announced that New Zealand citizens living in Australia would be allowed to serve in the ADF from July 1, with the eligibility extended from January 1 to American, British and Canadian applicants.

Shortly afterwards, Veteran Affairs Minister Matt Keogh told reporters permanent residents “from any other countries” who had lived in Australia for a year and met security checks could also be eligible, sparking immediate criticism from the Opposition. 

Mr Thistlethwaite quickly cleared up the confusion on Sydney radio on Wednesday, stressing that only citizens from Five Eyes nations living in Australia would be eligible to enlist. 

“We’re talking about people who are committed to Australia, and they can’t have served in a foreign military in the last two years,” he told ABC Sydney’s Craig Reucassel.

Defence Minister Richard Marles and Assistance Defence Minister Matt Thistlethwaite have clarified the eligibility for service in the ADF. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“We’re not trying to poach people off our partners, we’re talking about people who are on a journey to citizenship in Australia.” 

The Assistant Defence Minister said the changes were part of a wider push to recruit more people into the force. 

It comes after Mr Dutton lashed out at a new defence recruitment plan. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“We’ve struggled in recent years because of the competitive labour market,” he said. 

“Many businesses are struggling to get people to join their ranks, and the ADF is no different.”

In an afternoon press conference on Tuesday, Mr Dutton lashed the policy as a “dog’s breakfast” and questioned which nations would be included. 

“Minister Keogh is out there telling you that it’s going to apply to every nation,” Mr Dutton told reporters. 

“They’re now saying, oh, well, we’re winding it back in. It’ll only apply to some nations, but maybe not others. Maybe some people from Five Eyes (the intelligence alliance of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US and the UK).”

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Originally published as Assistant defence minister clears up ADF recruitment confusion following opposition backlash