Prime Minister and Defence Minister – Joint Transcript – Press conference 04 April 2014

http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/2014/04...ess-conference/

“PRIME MINISTER:
Well, it’s a real honour to be flanked by the service chiefs this morning and obviously today’s announcement is about the transition to new leadership in the Australian Defence Force. As of July, General Hurley will be retiring. Air Marshal Binskin will be taking over as the Chief of Defence Force. Admiral Griggs will be stepping up as the Vice Chief. Admiral Barrett will become Chief of Navy. General Morrison will continue for 12 months as Chief of Army and Air Marshal Brown will continue for 12 months as Chief of Air Force....

...DEFENCE MINISTER:
Thank you, Prime Minister. May I say how delighted I am to congratulate Air Marshal Binskin, soon to be Air Chief Marshal Binskin, as the successor to General Hurley. In my time in the Senate, I’ve come to know Mark Binskin as someone who I not only deeply respect but I also admire and I do sincerely congratulate him on achieving the culmination of his obviously lifetime ambitions. To lead the Australian Defence Force I think is a wonderful achievement in one’s life and I pause to again say congratulations, Mark....

...AIR MARSHAL BINSKIN:
Thank you, Prime Minister, Minister for Defence, CDF. Hopefully my voice will stay with me this morning for this.

I have to say I’m extremely honoured and very proud to have been selected to take over as Chief of Defence Force in July this year. I know that I’ll take command of the ADF at a time of military significance as we go into the centenary of Anzac commemorations. It’s a time of transformation for the ADF and it’s a time for continued reform for the ADF. But I’m comfortable I will be able to meet the challenges head-on and be able to face those challenges with the team that I’ve got supporting.

And the senior command team that’s been announced this morning is a great team. Ray Griggs as the new Vice Chief brings a lot of experience to the job. It’s good to see Tim Barrett, the second birdy in Navy to be promoted to the Chief of Navy position – as an ex-birdy I can say that – but he brings a lot of experience to Navy. And also David Morrison and Geoff Brown, the experience they will carry on in their two roles as Chief of Army and Chief of Air Force means we’ve got that new blood in, as General Hurley said, and we’ve got that experience in the wise hands as we continue to transition through.

So it will be a big challenge. I understand that, but I’m ready for it. And I too would just like the chance – -I know General Hurley will leave in July this year and there will be plenty of chances to say goodbye and farewell in that one big function he wants, rather than those thousands of functions, but his leadership and dedication over the last couple of years as Vice Chief and then as CDF has been fundamental to where the ADF is today and I want to thank him for that. They’re big shoes to fill but I’m also cognisant of the fact that there are two feet in those shoes between now and July so I will start talking a bit more about where I see the ADF going in July. So thank you very much....”