In a move that signals a major shake-up within Australia’s Defence establishment, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Sunday that Greg Moriarty, the longstanding Secretary of the Department of Defence, will become Australia’s next ambassador to the United States. The announcement not only ends weeks of speculation over the Washington posting but also thrusts the overhaul of the troubled Defence Department to the top of the Albanese government’s agenda.
“Mr Moriarty is uniquely experienced to take forward the Australia-US alliance,” the Prime Minister said in a joint statement with Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles. The statement highlighted Moriarty’s extensive career in public service, noting his tenure as Secretary of Defence since 2017, his prior roles as International and National Security Adviser, and later Chief of Staff to former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
During his time as Defence Secretary, Moriarty oversaw significant milestones for the Albanese government, including a historic increase in the Defence budget and the implementation of the National Defence Strategy following the Defence Strategic Review. The statement also referenced Moriarty’s recent Washington visit, where he met with senior US officials including Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, and reportedly expressed approval of elements of the US national security strategy.
The appointment is expected to trigger a series of high-level changes within Defence. Senior ministers have indicated that a substantial shake-up of the department is now “high on our minds,” amid frustration with long-standing delays and inefficiencies in defence acquisition projects, and growing global uncertainty over the future direction of US foreign policy.
Government sources confirmed that plans under consideration include reducing the number of 1-star officers and above by up to 30 percent, alongside similar cuts to senior defence public servants. These changes aim to streamline decision-making and clarify accountability within a department that has repeatedly faced criticism for bureaucratic inertia and project mismanagement.
Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead, who is set to step down as Director-General of the Australian Submarine Agency in mid-2026, is also reportedly being considered for a senior diplomatic posting. A senior official suggested Mead could be appointed as High Commissioner to New Delhi, a role for which he has previous experience, further linking Australia’s defence leadership changes with its diplomatic strategy in the Indo-Pacific.
The reshuffle will necessitate the appointment of new leaders across several key Defence portfolios. An international search is currently underway for a successor to the Australian Submarine Agency, with some defence insiders speculating that Navy Chief Vice Admiral Mark Hammond could be a domestic candidate. At the same time, the government is preparing to appoint a head for the newly created Defence Delivery Agency, responsible for overseeing major acquisition programs.
While the move has been welcomed by some as a necessary modernization of Defence’s leadership structure, it has also drawn criticism from veteran officials. “It’s rather ironic that Moriarty is rewarded with an ambassadorial posting just as the government announces the biggest reform of Defence in 50 years,” one senior defence figure told The Nightly. “The reform explicitly attributes years of acquisition failures to the Secretary’s office, yet he is now being shifted out rather than held accountable.”
Speculation over Moriarty’s successor has intensified. Scott Dewar, currently Australia’s Ambassador to Beijing, has emerged as a leading candidate to take over as Defence Secretary, though some sources suggest Associate Secretary Cath Patterson could also step up. Other names, including former Border Force Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg, have been floated, though they are considered long-shot options.
The government’s moves come at a time of increasing pressure on Australia to maintain its strategic capabilities amid intensifying regional tensions. The Department of Defence has faced criticism for delays and cost overruns in key programs, including naval shipbuilding and fighter aircraft acquisitions, while the broader geopolitical environment in the Indo-Pacific has grown more unpredictable.
The combination of diplomatic appointments and departmental restructuring reflects the Albanese government’s strategy of linking defence reform with broader international engagement. By placing seasoned figures like Moriarty and potentially Mead in critical diplomatic roles, Canberra aims to reinforce strategic ties with key allies while addressing structural inefficiencies at home.
Observers note that the reforms could have far-reaching implications for Australia’s military and defence posture. The trimming of senior leadership ranks may accelerate decision-making and improve accountability, but it also risks disrupting institutional knowledge at a critical juncture. Defence insiders are watching closely, aware that the coming months could reshape the department’s culture and operational effectiveness.
As the Albanese government moves forward, the intertwining of diplomacy and defence reform underscores the centrality of strategic leadership in Australia’s national security policy. With Moriarty on his way to Washington and Mead potentially heading to New Delhi, Canberra is signaling that it views the alignment of defence and diplomatic priorities as essential to maintaining Australia’s influence and security in an increasingly contested region.
The next Secretary of Defence will inherit a department at a crossroads: facing both internal challenges and external pressures, tasked with executing high-profile acquisition programs, and managing Australia’s evolving defence posture in concert with allies. The choices made in the coming months will likely define the department’s trajectory.
