Women in Defence

Cook honoured Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel, the sole survivor of the 1942 Bangka Island massacre, as a symbol of courage. Cook recounted the harrowing events where 22 nurses were executed despite being protected under the Geneva Convention. Cook emphasised that Bullwinkel’s testimony at the Tokyo war crimes tribunal ensured the sacrifice of her colleagues was remembered. Cook called for continued support and resources for women currently serving in the ADF.

Lawrence highlighted the shift from limited volunteer roles to full integration across land, sea, air, cyber, and space domains. Lawrence noted that women now comprise more than 25 per cent of new recruits and cited recent Order of Australia awards for female officers. Lawrence pointed to the increasing presence of women in high-trust leadership positions, such as aides-de-camp to senior defence officials. Lawrence argued that the Defence Force must continue to improve command-track participation and senior representation.

Price acknowledged the historical service of over 50,000 women in World War II auxiliary services and promoted the theatre production 21 Hearts about Vivian Bullwinkel. Price stated that women currently make up around 20 per cent of the Defence Force and expressed a desire to increase this to 25 per cent by 2030. Price raised concerns about underrepresentation in combat roles and highlighted statistics regarding suicide rates and sexual misconduct affecting female veterans. Price urged better support systems for women veterans to address these critical issues.

Comer, a former officer, discussed the evolution of women’s roles from nursing to full combat integration since 2016. Comer shared personal experience regarding inadequate bridging programs during training that did not account for differences in body weight, leading to injuries. Comer advocated for maintaining high fitness standards while adapting training methods to retain capable recruits. Comer emphasised that removing barriers and fostering an inclusive environment is essential for maintaining a ready and capable Defence Force.

Wallace noted that women now serve in more than 200 roles, including combat and command positions, with representation rising from 14 per cent to over 20 per cent in a decade. Wallace highlighted that female recruits accounted for over 23 per cent of new joiners but acknowledged retention remains a challenge. Wallace stressed that capability depends on attracting the best talent regardless of gender, particularly in the context of projects like AUKUS. Wallace called for continued efforts to remove barriers and support women veterans facing higher suicide rates.