Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has taken aim at the move by new Defence Minister Richard Marles to scrap his 2021 ban on "woke" diversity and inclusion events for Defence staff, raising the "reality" of the Chinese and Russian presidents and reminding that "we live in an uncertain time". As revealed by The Canberra Times on Tuesday, Mr Marles has instructed Defence that the previous directive, unofficially known as the 'morning tea ban', be lifted immediately allowing military and public service staff to hold local activities to recognise upcoming Wear it Purple and R U OK Day. Mr Dutton's original decision in 2021 - after he took exception to rainbow morning teas celebrating diversity and inclusion - left him ridiculed by the public sector union as the "minister for culture wars". He is still not a fan of diversions from the main mission. "I always thought the time for morning teas was after you've won the war, because I'm pretty sure in other countries at the moment they're not having 'woke morning teas'; they're getting on with how they can protect and defend their country," he told Sydney radio 2GB. "And we do live in an uncertain time. It's uncomfortable to talk about, but that's the reality of a president like President Xi, it's the reality of a president like President Putin." READ MORE In a memo to staff on Tuesday announcing the minister's lifting of the ban, Chief of the Defence Force Angus Campbell and departmental secretary Greg Moriarty declared a diverse workforce supported by an inclusive culture is "essential to Defence's capability and effectiveness". The top Defence officials said the organisation was committed to diversity and inclusion and would now explore a wider range of events that Defence would participate in next year. "Many of these events contribute to our inclusive culture by acknowledging and promoting awareness of our diverse workforce," they wrote.
