Statement on the passing of Professor Brendan Sargeant

With sadness, we note the tragic passing of Professor Brendan Sargeant over the weekend. 

Professor Sargeant was one of Australia’s leading strategic and defence thinkers.

He had a long and distinguished career at the Department of Defence.

Brendan Sargeant joined the Department in 1983 as an Assistant Research Officer. He went on to work in the Attorney General’s Department, Centrelink, and Department of Finance and Deregulation, but returned to Defence in March 2010 as Deputy Secretary Strategy. He also held the position of Deputy Secretary Reform and Governance, before being appointed the Associate Secretary in March 2013. He held this position until his retirement from the Department and the Australian Public Service in July 2018. During his tenure, he also acted as Secretary on many occasions.

His legacy is substantial.

Among his many contributions, he was the principal author of the 2013 Defence White Paper which shed new light on changing circumstances in the region, including emerging cyber threats and implications of the global financial crisis. He also oversaw the First Principles Review – a major organisational reform agenda which has helped to modernise and position Defence to better contend with the security threats Australia faces today.

After retiring from Defence, he went on to make a substantial contribution to the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University. He was also a mentor to many in the National Security community.

Defence will always remember Brendan Sargeant as a man of integrity, with a purposeful and searching mind and great insight into the strategic challenges facing Australia.

On behalf of the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force, we extend our condolences to Professor Sargeant’s family and friends.

Greg Moriarty                                   Angus J Campbell, AO, DSC

Secretary                                          General

Department of Defence                 Chief of the Defence Force