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New Zealand Defence Force’s Major General Hugh McAslan has been appointed as Australia’s newest Deputy Chief of Joint Operations to expand the defence partnership of both countries.
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The appointment marks the highest senior appointment of an officer from a foreign military into the Australian Defence Force and follows the recent appointment of ADF Brigadier Michael Bassingthwaighte, DSM, as the Deputy Commander Headquarters Joint Force New Zealand.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles and New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins welcomed the appointments during talks on the sidelines of the South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Auckland earlier this week.
“I am delighted to have formally appointed Major General McAslan as Deputy Chief of Joint Operations in the ADF, during a ceremony at Headquarters Joint Operations Command,” Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones said.
“Integrating Australian and New Zealand senior military officers into each other’s defence forces is a key step to enhanced interoperability and increasing our ability to deploy together.
“Major General McAslan’s appointment advances Australia’s close defence relationship with New Zealand, building on more than a century of close military cooperation regionally and globally.”
The high-level exchanges of senior military officers, together with combined warfighting exercises, help to increase knowledge, networks, and interoperability between Australian and New Zealand defence forces.
Australia and New Zealand share a longstanding history of cooperation and both countries are committed to continuing a deliberate, coordinated and ambitious agenda that deepens and expands their defence partnership.
“Our nations and our armed forces share a unique history and heritage, and this appointment will only strengthen that bond and ensure our ongoing interoperability and integration,” Deputy Chief of Joint Operations MAJGEN Hugh McAslan said.
“I have spent a considerable amount of time in my 35-year career in the New Zealand Defence Force working closely with my Australian counterparts and I am looking forward to working alongside the Australian Defence Force and continuing to forge the Anzac spirit.
“My experience working alongside the ADF in operations throughout the world, including in Iraq and Timor-Leste, within the strategic intelligence community, and across the Indo-Pacific region will be invaluable in taking on this new role.”
