10th November 1964
At present the regular forces number just over 52,000 including 22,750 in the Regular Army, 16,600 in the Air Force and 12,900 in the Navy.
In addition, there are approximately 1,000 Pacific Islanders in the Pacific Islands Regiment.
In the Citizen Military Forces we have 27,630, in the Citizen Naval Forces 5,115, and in the Citizen Air Forces 868.
Over the programme period to mid-1968 the Navy and Air Force will require a considerable increase in manpower to correspond with the planned expansion of these forces including the progressive introduction of new equipment. By June 1968, the Navy will have a requirement for approximately 16,700 and the Air Force for 21 ,000 men. The Government and its naval and Air Force advisers are confident that a satisfactory progressive build up of manpower towards these levels can be achieved by existing means of recruitment.
The question of Army manpower is more difficult. The numbers are larger; the whole strength and organisation of the Army arc involved. We have given close attention to this problem which has before now given rise to great controversy.
After an examination of all the factors, and in full consultation with our military advisers, we have reached the conclusion that the Regular Army should be built up as rapidly as possible from the present 22,750 to an effective strength of 33,000 men, which means a total force of 37 ,500. A peace-time Army of this size would be adequate to meet our immediately foreseeable operational requirements and form a basis for rapid expansion in war.
The training effort required to achieve any reasonably quick build up of a much larger Army than the one we now contemplate would be such that the Regular Army would cease to be an effective fighting force and become for some considerable time simply a training organisation. This has been one of the limiting factors in this. Let me remind honorable members that we have through successive programmes built up the capacity of the Regular Army as an effective and readily available fighting force, and it is essential in present circumstances that this capacity and quality be retained to the greatest possible extent.
The Government has given the most careful consideration to the means by which the Army’s manpower requirements may be achieved. It seems clear, on our military advice and our own carefully formed judgment, that we cannot expect by voluntary means to achieve a build up in the Army’s strength of the order we require and to the timing which is necessary.
We are living in a period of unsurpassed prosperity and more than full employment; the attractions of civilian employment are very great indeed.
The Government has therefore decided that there is no alternative to the introduction of selective compulsory service. We know that this presents difficult personal, social, economic, and perhaps political problems. Our decision has been taken only because of the paramount needs of defence and, in the difficult circumstances 1 have described, the preservation of our security.
May I return at this point to the observations I made earlier in reference to the demands of our deteriorating strategic situation? We expect a continuing requirement to make forces available for cold war and anti-insurgency tasks. We must have forces ready as an immediate contribution should wider hostilities occur. We must at all times retain adequate forces against any more direct threat which might develop to our own security.
Because of our geographic position we have the most compelling reasons to take those steps which will put us in a position to meet these various demands. The necessary units cannot be provided with a lesser effective strength than 33,000, yet this number cannot in present circumstances and in proper time be obtained by voluntary means.
It follows also that, to enable the Regular Army to achieve the required degree of operational readiness, selective servicemen must serve in regular units on a full time basis. If the scheme is to be effective, those called up must therefore be under an obligation to serve overseas as necessary and must be available to go with the regular unit in which they are serving.
In assessing the length of service required, an average of six months must be allowed for recruit and corps training. Provision must also be made for leave, movement and acclimatisation should the national servicemen be sent to an overseas theatre.
In order to permit a period of at least twelve months effective service in a unit a total period of two years full-time duty is required and this will be the basis of the Government’s scheme. This will be followed by a period of three years on the Reserve.
Briefly, we have decided that young men will be required to register in the calendar year in which they reach the age of 20 years. The first actual call-up will take place about the middle of next year.
During the second half of 1965 a total of about 4,200 will be required. Thereafter 1 there will be annual call-ups of about 6,900. This will, by December 1966, give an Army of a total strength of about 37,500- this is the Regular Army – which will mean an effective force of 33,000. Detailed consideration is being given to the conditions of service and the question of exemptions and deferments to meet particular circumstances. Civil employment rights of those called up will be appropriately protected.
I hasten to say that the introduction of selective compulsory service does not in any way detract from the importance of volunteers for the Regular Army, the Emergency Reserve or the Citizen Military Forces. On the contrary, we would wish the volunteer spirit, which has meant so much to Australia in the past, to continue. Both the
Government and the nation would urge that as high a percentage as possible of those in our armed services should be those who, of their own choice, and in the spirit of a great national tradition, have joined one or other of those Services.
Mr Clyde Cameron:
— I know one who dodged it in 1914.
Sir ROBERT MENZIES:
You do not. You must not repeat other people’s lies.
Mr Clyde Cameron:
– well, 1915.
Sir ROBERT MENZIES:
—That is a very bad habit, Clyde, and I advise you against it. Indeed, so far as the Regular Army is concerned, volunteers will continue to be of fundamental importance to the effectiveness of the force.
Volunteers on longer terms of engagement will reach the highest standards of training and will give greater flexibility in the organisation and deployment of our forces.
A selective service scheme does not give sufficient time to train highly qualified specialists and technicians and we must continue to look to volunteers to provide these. The Government has already reviewed and improved conditions pf service to make a career in the Permanent Forces as attractive as possible. With this in mind and in the light of the strategic situation which I have outlined, we would ask the young men and women of Australia to consider carefully a permanent career in the armed forces.
The new Emergency Reserve, for which enrolment will be commencing almost immediately, will provide a ready means of supplementing field force units, increasing our cold war military capability and providing reinforcements in the initial stages of hostilities. It has a most important place in the full concept of our defence forces. The role of the Citizen Military Forces – to provide in war or defence emergency the followup forces and the expansion of our military effort – ‘remains unchanged, and indeed assumes even greater importance following the passage of the legislation to make these forces available in a defence emergency. I seek the co-operation not only of our young men, but also of their employers and others to ensure that the Citizen Military Forces target of 35,000 is achieved over the period of the new defence programme.
The detailed organisation of the Army will be further reviewed to provide for an expansion in the field force with particular emphasis on a substantial increase in the combat element and high priority logistic units. Two additional battalions will be raised making a total of six including the two battalions in our first two battle groups and the battalion already deployed in Malaysia. In addition, the organisation will provide adequate backing, not only to maintain and support the expanded field force, C.M.F. and cadets, , but also to provide a sound basis for further expansion and mobilisation.
There is, for a variety of good reasons, some concentration of military provision and organisation in the south-eastern areas of the continent. We feel, however, that, in the overall interests of rapid mobility, this should not be carried too far. We have, therefore, after careful consideration, decided that a new battle group will be established in north Queensland, probably in the Townsville area. The Special Air Service Regiment already established at Perth will be more than doubled in size to provide a head-quarters squadron and four squadrons. The Government has decided on a substantial change in the organisation of the Citizen Military Forces designed to create additional battalions, give greater flexibility and increased opportunities for service, particularly in country areas. The target strength for the cadets is being increased from 40,000 to 45,000.
In the 1963 Defence Review, I announced that it was intended to double as soon as possible the strength of the Pacific Islands Regiment, which at that time was of the order of 700, and I also indicated that further developments in relation to the force were under consideration. Recruitment to the P.I.R. has increased steadily, and the target strength we envisaged in our previous plans will be attained earlier than we had expected.
In the present strategic situation the Government continues to attach high priority to the strengthening of the P.I.R.
The detailed investigations have now been completed, and the Government will proceed with the plan to increase the force to three battalions and supporting units with a total strength approaching 3,500 by June 1968. Tenders closing on 30th November this year have been called for necessary Army works for Papua and New Guinea which could cost about E 12 million. An honorable member opposite asked me today whether there was any difficulty about this, having regard to the fact that it was a Trust Territory. Part of the answer is that there is not. These include additional barrack buildings, workshops and engineering services, and housing for native married members of the force.
The provision of equipment for the Army must match the improvements in the strength and availability of units. In the Defence Review 6f May 1963, expenditure on Army equipment was raised from the rate of E 10 million per annum to the much higher level of E 17.5 million.
In the light of the deterioration of our strategic position there is a need to accelerate the rate of progress towards achievement of the approved objective of providing modern equipment for one division. Provision is also required for the expanded forces in Papua-New Guinea. Provision must be made for the replacement of out-moded equipment as new items become available from research and development for introduction into service.
Sufficient additional equipment must be provided to ensure that C.M.F. training is realistic and effective.
For all these purposes, and in line with the expansion in other elements of our defence preparations, the Government has approved a major acceleration in Army equipment purchases. Expenditure will be increased to €20 million in 1965-66 – the first year of the new defence programme – to E25 million in the following year, and to €30 million in 1967-68. The equipment to be purchased will include the whole range of modern conventional weapons, ammunition, vehicles, light aircraft, engineering and signals stores and so on. Items of new equipment which the Army is investigating include low level anti-aircraft weapons, air-portable armoured fighting vehicles, new artillery weapons, combat surveillance equipment and various other items. Emphasis will continue to be placed on air-portable equipment and those items which will improve Army mobility. The general effect of this approval is that as me strength of our forces is built up the weapons and equipment which they require, and of the most modern types, will be available to them. The increase in the Army strength from under 23,000 to some 37,500 by the end of 1966 means that accommodation for an additional 15,000 men has to be provided. This is additional to the large works programme for the Pacific Islands Regiment which I have already mentioned. This will mean a greatly increased Army works programme which will be carried out with the highest priority.
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