Defence takes front line role in coronavirus fight

A former special operations commander will lead the ADF’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds. Picture: AAP

A former special operations commander, Major General Paul Kenny, has been appointed to lead the Australian Defence Force response to the nation’s coronavirus response, amid expectations of a wider deployment of ADF personnel.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said the ADF’s new Operation COVID-19 Assist would co-ordinate the delivery of military assistance to civilian agencies, including contract tracing of positive coronavirus cases, and support in enforcing quarantine orders.

The operation will bring together seven state-and-territory-based task groups under Major General Kenny’s command.

Senator Reynolds said the operation will provide “customised support” to state and territory authorities for as long as necessary.

“There are already around 570 ADF members providing support including contact tracing, planning assistance, and assisting police with mandatory quarantine arrangements for international air arrivals,” Senator Reynolds said.

She said Defence was ready to ramp up its support, as required by the states and territories.

ADF personnel are yet to be authorised as law enforcement officers but could be used to supplement police if law and orders comes under threat.

Chief of the Defence Force, General Angus Campbell, said there was “no higher priority for the ADF at this time”.

“We are here for the people of Australia,” General Campbell said.

The move follows a call to ADF reserves to contact their commanding officers to register their skills and willingness to join the COVID-19 response.

A national call-out of reserves, like that during the bushfires, has not yet occurred.

However Army Reserve personnel said part-time soldiers had been warned through the chain of command to prepare to deploy to support the pandemic response.

"We're getting ready for an army-wide call-out," the officer said.

Major General Kenny was appointed to lead the operation from his role as deputy commander of Special Operations Command.

He has previously commanded international special operations forces in Afghanistan, and is a former commanding officer of the 2nd Commando Regiment.

The formal creation of Operation COVID-19 Assist follows the establishment of a taskforce led by Lieutenant General John Frewen to co-ordinate Defence’s internal response to the pandemic.

ADF reconnaissance and planning support teams are currently working with all state and territory governments to assist with emergency response planning.

Contact tracing teams are working with state and territory authorities in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.

Teams are on standby to support South Australia and the ACT if requested.

The ADF is also currently established at Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns airports to support the mandatory quarantine of all air arrivals into Australia.