Although the importance of ' joint ' warfare had been highlighted during Second World War when Australian naval , ground and air units frequently served as part of single commands , the absence of a central authority continued to result in poor co @-@ ordination between the services in the post @-@ war era , with each organising and operating on the basis of a different military doctrine . The need for an integrated command structure received more emphasis during the Australian military 's experiences in the Vietnam War . In 1973 , the Secretary of the Department of Defence , Arthur Tange , submitted a report to the Government that recommended the unification of the separate departments supporting each service into a single department and the creation of the post of Chief of the Defence Force Staff .