SYDNEY - Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced Wednesday that Defence Force Chief Angus Houston will be replaced by his deputy in July, as she admitted it was a "testing time" for the force.
Lt. Gen. David Hurley will take over from the retiring Houston, who has spent six years in the job and overseen Australian deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, East Timor and the Solomon Islands.
The announcement comes in a week in which three soldiers died in separate incidents in Afghanistan, bringing the nation's losses in that conflict to 26.
Gillard acknowledged that the reshuffle came at a "very testing time for the Australian Defence Force, a time of sorrow, of loss".
"I'm absolutely confident the new leadership team will meet these challenges," she told a press conference.
Hurley, who as a young man served on exchange with the British Army's Irish Guards, was appointed vice chief of the Defence Force in 2008.
He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his work commanding a battalion group in Somalia in 1993 and later went on to be named as Land Commander Australia and appointed to Chief Joint Operations Command.
Hurley said he would not back away from giving the government "frank and fearless advice."
"I don't think at times that should be taken as dissent or a war between the minister and the generals," he said. "We're doing our job, and we'll continue to do so."
The leadership change comes as the Defence Force is facing a wave of complaints brought by former members alleging sexual abuse, beatings and other misconduct, as well as investigation into its treatment of women.
Houston said the force had worked hard to reform the culture within defense, which has some 58,000 permanent staff.
"Okay, we are not perfect but the vast majority of people out there act with great generosity of spirit in everything they do," Houston said. "It's been a story of success, what we've done on operations."
Hurley's position as vice-chief will be filled by current air force chief Air Marshal Mark Binskin.
Lt. Gen. David Hurley will take over from the retiring Houston, who has spent six years in the job and overseen Australian deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, East Timor and the Solomon Islands.
The announcement comes in a week in which three soldiers died in separate incidents in Afghanistan, bringing the nation's losses in that conflict to 26.
Gillard acknowledged that the reshuffle came at a "very testing time for the Australian Defence Force, a time of sorrow, of loss".
"I'm absolutely confident the new leadership team will meet these challenges," she told a press conference.
Hurley, who as a young man served on exchange with the British Army's Irish Guards, was appointed vice chief of the Defence Force in 2008.
He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his work commanding a battalion group in Somalia in 1993 and later went on to be named as Land Commander Australia and appointed to Chief Joint Operations Command.
Hurley said he would not back away from giving the government "frank and fearless advice."
"I don't think at times that should be taken as dissent or a war between the minister and the generals," he said. "We're doing our job, and we'll continue to do so."
The leadership change comes as the Defence Force is facing a wave of complaints brought by former members alleging sexual abuse, beatings and other misconduct, as well as investigation into its treatment of women.
Houston said the force had worked hard to reform the culture within defense, which has some 58,000 permanent staff.
"Okay, we are not perfect but the vast majority of people out there act with great generosity of spirit in everything they do," Houston said. "It's been a story of success, what we've done on operations."
Hurley's position as vice-chief will be filled by current air force chief Air Marshal Mark Binskin.
