Australian Defence Organisation

The two most significant organisations are the ADF, led by the Chief of the Defence Force who is Australia's senior military leader, and the DoD, managed by the Secretary of the Department of Defence who is a senior public servant accountable under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

[8] For the 2024-25 financial year, as estimated in the Defence Portfolio Budget Statement prepared as part of the 2024 Australian federal budget, Defence's total workforce was 82,724 people (16,331 Navy personnel, 31,339 Army personnel, 15,927 Air Force personnel and 19,127 public servants), and Defence received A$53.58 billion in government funding.

[9] The ADO is understood to be a diarchy, a rare organisational structure intended to take advantage of "the responsibilities and complementary abilities of public servants and military officials".

[10] The 2014 First Principles Review, taken up in the 2016 Defence White Paper, recommended moving to operate as a more integrated organisation, amid public criticism of the diarchy structure.

It is the Australian Public Service entity that provides advice, coordination, and program delivery for defence and military policy.