Entitlement, identity politics lack of pride blamed for slump in ADF recruitment
Peter Leahy has warned a decline in national pride is at the heart of the Australian Defence Force’s personnel crisis.
Former army chief Peter Leahy has warned a decline in national pride is at the heart of the Australian Defence Force’s personnel crisis, arguing a culture of entitlement, identity politics and victimhood is diminishing the pool of potential recruits.
Defence slashed its workforce target by more than 4700 last year as near-static military personnel numbers threaten the federal government’s $330bn push to rearm the nation.
Professor Leahy said life in the military was about service, but Australians today were less concerned about the national interest than the interests of narrowly defined groups.
“Perhaps the biggest issue about who will fight for Australia is a decline in national pride and a dilution of an Australian identity and culture,” he said in a paper for the RSL.
“In contrast, there is a sense of entitlement and self-indulgence … suggesting that the nation owes individuals something.
“There are too many identities and too many flags. Whether it harks back to place of origin or some narrow interest-motivated sentiment, too many people and groups want special treatment and consideration. It doesn’t leave much space for Australia.”
The government recently unveiled a new Defence recruitment campaign, selling life in the ADF as a “career with impact”. But Professor Leahy said the advertisements failed to tap into the pride and traditions that have characterised military service.
“Recruiting advertisements resemble lifestyle commercials and emphasise what the ADF can do for you. Not much mention of what you can do for your country,” he said.
“Military service is about purpose, values and loyalty. It is about service and sacrifice and contributing to something bigger than yourself.
“It is also about fighting and the application of lethal force on the battlefield.
“ADF recruiting commercials are muted on this nature of service in the defence force.”
The University of Canberra professor pointed to a 2023 social cohesion survey that revealed a slump in national identity, with just 33 per cent saying they took “pride in the Australian way of life and culture”, compared to 58 per cent in 2007.
The Scanlon Foundation report found Australians’ sense of belonging also fell, from 77 per cent in 2007 to just 48 per cent in 2023.
Professor Leahy said it was unsurprising that “some seek to denigrate the ADF and the notion of service” given the debate over the legitimacy of Australia Day, and he accused politicians of manipulating the debate over identity to secure electoral advantage.
“What is our sense of being Australian if it is not about being part of a team and committing to the group and contributing to something bigger than yourself?” he said.
“Our politicians talk about social cohesion and offer multiple paths. Unfortunately, some current perspectives on social cohesion focus on electoral prospects rather than building and strengthening ‘Brand Australia’ and unifying the nation.”
Phillip Thompson, an army veteran and the LNP member for Herbert in Queensland – whose seat includes the garrison city of Townsville – said Professor Leahy made “valid points”, and added the government was failing to address practical impediments to recruitment and retention.
“Australians want to join the ADF but find it extremely difficult because of the outdated rules forced upon them,” he said.
“Just last week, a young man was rejected from the army because he was diagnosed with asthma as a child. He hasn’t used any medication for more than 10 years,” Mr Thompson said.
“Another time I was contacted by a young women who told military recruitment that she spoke with a guidance counsellor at school to talk about how to handle the pressures of exams – she also was rejected. These are just two examples of many.”
The Australian approached Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh for comment but he failed to respond by deadline.
The criticism comes as a new study reveals army reservists frequently face discrimination and hostility in the workplace, with one in five managers offering “low or very low” support for military training leave despite laws making it illegal to disadvantage part-time ADF personnel.
A poll of 800 managers found nearly 40 per cent said military experience had little relevance to their organisation, while interviews with 60 reservists revealed middle managers consistently sought to deny Defence leave requests.
The study by the Army Research Centre found there was a mismatch between employers’ public declarations of support for army reservists and real workplace tensions over their service.
“There is a lack of understanding among employers,” one reservist said. “They think it’s either a holiday or a hobby or just something fun to do on your days off, or a cash grab. When I try to explain to them that if something big happens in the Pacific tomorrow, I might have to go frontline, they don’t accept that.”
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