Recycling an old concept comes with its challenges

Andrew Hastie’s (pictured) suggestion to enlist Pacific Islanders and assorted “foreigners” to help alleviate “significant ADF workforce challenges” is nothing new. Australia’s first effective standing army was raised post World War II with three regular infantry battalions and a battalion recruited from

“locally enlisted personnel” (LEP) in the Territories of Papua and New Guinea.

For command and administrative purposes ADF elements in TP & NG were considered part of Northern Command, based on Queensland and including Townsville.

TO & NG enlisters were all allocated “8” prefix regimental numbers identifying them as Territorians, as they were then termed, with the exception there were different conditions of service between those identified as

Australian and LEP, including pay rates.

Selected LEP attended specialist courses including officer training in Australian military schools.

Nor were LEP permitted to deploy operationally, save for a few RAN midshipmen who were attached for training to HMAS Sydney and deployed to South Vietnam.

At Independence in September 1975, the Australian government was faced with a dilemma when many specialist LEP requested transfer to the ADF rather than remain in the local PNGDF.

This was particularly the case with personnel enlisted from the Torres Strait Islands, where traditional borders were familial rather than arbitrarily geographic or, as locals preferred, “colonial”.

Ironically, many of them would now be recruited into NORFORCE.

The ADF now reflects the broader multicultural Australia, with individuals i from countries in which Australia has fought, including Afghanistan. After World War II many foreign former soldiers enlisted in the ADF with little scrutiny, including more than a f few who had served with G German forces in World War W II.

Yet citizens of those f former territories which Australia administered under various trust arrangements (not colonisation) were denied that same privilege, even where their soldiers served in Australian forces.

Each-way-bet Jackie Lambie thinks perhaps Australia should train regional recruits in their own countries, but that is problematic under international law, while defeating the purpose of providing the ADF with unencumbered rapidly deployable numbers.

Nor is the French Foreign Legion model entirely suitable, given the French use what is essentially a mercenary militia as a deployable force of first resort.

Labor has been traditionally adept at simple on-the-run solutions to complex defence problems.

An ADF wage, superannuation, lifelong DVA health benefits and guaranteed citizenship are attractive incentives. Foreign recruits must be of long-term strategic benefit to justify costs. They in turn should beware of policy geeks bearing gifts.