MBBS FRACGP FAFPHM FRACMA(Hon) GAICD

Commander Joint Health and Surgeon
General Australian Defence Force

Rear Admiral (RADM) Bennett commenced as Commander Joint Health (CJHLTH) and Surgeon General Australian Defence Force (SGADF) on 1 December 2023. RADM Bennett holds Fellowships with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine and the Royal Australian College of Medical Administrators (Honorary). RADM Bennett is a current member of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) Berghofer Council and an Honorary Professor at the Australian National University. RADM Bennett’s previous roles as Deputy Chief Medical Officer in the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care and Deputy Chief Health Officer in Queensland Health led to memberships on the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, the Communicable Disease Network of Australia (including a term as Chair), and the Australian Health Protection Committee, where she remains a member as SGADF. As a medical officer in the Australian Defence Force, RADM Bennett served fulltime with the Royal Australian Navy from 1994 to 2009. Postings during this period include HMAS Platypus as Submarine Squadron Medical Officer, Deputy Medical Officer in Charge at Balmoral Naval Hospital, Supply Ship HMAS Success, the Army Malaria Institute and Centre for Military and Veterans Health as the Research Manager/Chief of Operations. Following transition to the part-time force in 2009, RADM Bennett has deployed to Pacific Partnership 2015 on the USNS Mercy as a public health physician as well as continuing in the RAN as a member of the Independent Seaworthiness Management Review panel and Director General Naval Health Reserves. RADM Bennett’s broad expertise and leadership in public health was recognised in the 2023 Australia Day awards where she was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) General Division