Changing Commitments 1971-77

In 1967, the United Kingdom had announced that half of its forces in Malaysia and Singapore would be withdrawn by 1971 and the remainder within five years. In 1971 a new defence agreement, the Five Power Defence Arrangement (FDPA), was negotiated to provide for consultation regarding a response to any threats or external attacks on Malaysia and Singapore. This involved the formation of an ANZUK force, the ANZUK Brigade Group which was based in Singapore. This force included an RAR battalion with a supporting field battery (originally, in 1955, components of the BCFESR 28 Commonwealth Brigade) and other elements. The ANZUK force was disbanded in 1975 when first the Australian and then the British Governments decided to withdraw their ground forces.¹⁶⁶

With the election in December 1972 of a new Labor government under Gough Whitlam, the completion of the withdrawal from Vietnam and the ending of the National Service scheme were immediately effected . The new Australian defence and military policy was based on a withdrawal from the previous policy of 'forward defence' and the lack of a credible short-term threat to Australia's security.¹⁶⁷ A further significant change in defence commitments occurred in 1976 when the last SEATO exercise was held and the organisation formally disbanded in June 1977.¹⁶⁸

In 1972, following a major review, the Government agreed to a complete reorganisation of the Army on functional lines. This involved disbanding the geographical commands and creating Field Force, Logistic and Training Commands, leaving smaller geographically-based military districts with primarily supporting administrative roles.¹⁶⁹

In anticipation of Papua New Guinea independence, the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) was established in 1973, based largely on the battalions of the Pacific Islands Regiment. With independence, an Australian Defence Advisory Group (ADAG), primarily manned by the Australian Army, was located at Port Moresby to assist in the development of the PNGDF.¹⁷⁰

In 1974, the report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Citizen Military Forces (The Millar Report) was published. In the years following the re-formation of the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) in 1948, it had suffered a number of setbacks through the impact on volunteers of the two National Service schemes and the Pentropic Reorganisation. The Millar Committee had been commissioned in 1973 as a result of perceptions of lack of role, poor morale and organisational problems. A change in title to 'Army Reserve', major reorganisation affecting the status of the two infantry divisions, amalgamation of understrength units, improved conditions of service and adoption of the 'One Army' concept were among many changes recommended and implemented.¹⁷¹

Because of a history of confusion and duplication of effort in the provision of defence force aid to the civil community in time of major disasters, in 1974 the Whitlam Government created the Natural Disasters Organisation (NDO) within the Department of Defence. The NDO was to coordinate defence efforts in supporting the civil defence organisations of the states and territories. The first major Army commitment under the new organisation was to the relief of Darwin following the devastation of Cyclone 'Tracy' in December 1974. Other major commitments have included the 'Ash Wednesday' bushfires of 1983 and the Newcastle earthquake in 1989. Less spectacular assistance is usually provided for ‘normal’ disasters such as flood relief, locust plagues, and bushfires, together with the provision of emergency shelter, evacuation of medical emergency cases and making dangerous ordnance safe.¹⁷²

In 1975 the Defence Force Reorganisation Act was passed. It abolished the three service boards, designating the three service chiefs of staff as the professional heads of their services with full powers of command under higher defence direction. The position of Chief of the Defence Force Staff (CDFS) became the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) in 1986 and was created to command the Defence Force and act as the principal military adviser to the Government. Meanwhile the reorganisation of the Defence group of departments (Defence, Navy, Army, Air Force and Supply), combining all five within an enlarged Department of Defence, was completed.¹⁷³

CHANGING COMMITMENTS 1971-77
Vietnam War 1962-72	Peacekeeping 1979-96
In 1967, the United Kingdom had announced that half of its forces in Malaysia and Singapore would be withdrawn by 1971 and the remainder within five years. In 1971 a new defence agreement, the Five Power Defence Arrangement (FDPA), was negotiated to provide for consultation regarding a response to any threats or external attacks on Malaysia and Singapore. This involved the formation of an ANZUK force, the ANZUK Brigade Group which was based in Singapore. This force included an RAR battalion with a supporting field battery (originally, in 1955, components of the BCFESR 28 Commonwealth Brigade) and other elements. The ANZUK force was disbanded in 1975 when first the Australian and then the British Governments decided to withdraw their ground forces.¹⁶⁶ With the election in December 1972 of a new Labor government under Gough Whitlam, the completion of the withdrawal from Vietnam and the ending of the National Service scheme were immediately effected . The new Australian defence and military policy was based on a withdrawal from the previous policy of 'forward defence' and the lack of a credible short-term threat to Australia's security.¹⁶⁷ A further significant change in defence commitments occurred in 1976 when the last SEATO exercise was held and the organisation formally disbanded in June 1977.¹⁶⁸ In 1972, following a major review, the Government agreed to a complete reorganisation of the Army on functional lines. This involved disbanding the geographical commands and creating Field Force, Logistic and Training Commands, leaving smaller geographically-based military districts with primarily supporting administrative roles.¹⁶⁹ In anticipation of Papua New Guinea independence, the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) was established in 1973, based largely on the battalions of the Pacific Islands Regiment. With independence, an Australian Defence Advisory Group (ADAG), primarily manned by the Australian Army, was located at Port Moresby to assist in the development of the PNGDF.¹⁷⁰ In 1974, the report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Citizen Military Forces (The Millar Report) was published. In the years following the re-formation of the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) in 1948, it had suffered a number of setbacks through the impact on volunteers of the two National Service schemes and the Pentropic Reorganisation. The Millar Committee had been commissioned in 1973 as a result of perceptions of lack of role, poor morale and organisational problems. A change in title to 'Army Reserve', major reorganisation affecting the status of the two infantry divisions, amalgamation of understrength units, improved conditions of service and adoption of the 'One Army' concept were among many changes recommended and implemented.¹⁷¹ Because of a history of confusion and duplication of effort in the provision of defence force aid to the civil community in time of major disasters, in 1974 the Whitlam Government created the Natural Disasters Organisation (NDO) within the Department of Defence. The NDO was to coordinate defence efforts in supporting the civil defence organisations of the states and territories. The first major Army commitment under the new organisation was to the relief of Darwin following the devastation of Cyclone 'Tracy' in December 1974. Other major commitments have included the 'Ash Wednesday' bushfires of 1983 and the Newcastle earthquake in 1989. Less spectacular assistance is usually provided for ‘normal’ disasters such as flood relief, locust plagues, and bushfires, together with the provision of emergency shelter, evacuation of medical emergency cases and making dangerous ordnance safe.¹⁷² In 1975 the Defence Force Reorganisation Act was passed. It abolished the three service boards, designating the three service chiefs of staff as the professional heads of their services with full powers of command under higher defence direction. The position of Chief of the Defence Force Staff (CDFS) became the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) in 1986 and was created to command the Defence Force and act as the principal military adviser to the Government. Meanwhile the reorganisation of the Defence group of departments (Defence, Navy, Army, Air Force and Supply), combining all five within an enlarged Department of Defence, was completed.¹⁷³