2022-23 pay: Total remuneration $1,006,474; base salary $872,682
2021-22 pay: Total remuneration $942,727; base salary $810,364
Department: Defence
Qualifications: ANU (Master of Strategic and Defence Studies), University of Western Australia (Bachelor of Arts)
Job history: Seconded into Malcolm Turnbull’s office as chief of staff before becoming secretary at Defence in 2017, Moriarty began his career as an intelligence analyst at the Defence Intelligence Organisation. Moving between intelligence and diplomacy, Moriarty was ambassador to Iran (2005-2008) and Indonesia (2010-2014) also held the role of deputy secretary at Foreign Affairs. A seasoned practitioner of statecraft beyond politics Defence’s civilian spent time in US CENTCOM during the Gulf War and played a key role in defusing the Bougainville crisis. According to his official biography, Moriarty has studied Indonesian and Tok Pisin.
Why he made news in the past year: A man trusted to keep many secrets, Moriarty’s reappointment as defence secretary for five years in September was kept skilfully quiet until January. Since then, the Defence Strategic Review and its many recommendations have revealed Moriarty is not afraid to clean house in preparation for AUKUS, pruning back on land warfare armour in favour of a bigger missile upgrade ageing artillery as well as retiring the infamous MRH-90 choppers and placing a moratorium on rehiring Defence and ADF staff jumping ship to consultancies.
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