Australian military recruits hit 15-year high boosted by TikTok ads
Australia has achieved its highest military recruitment figures in 15 years, with officials crediting targeted ads on TikTok and online games for the boost.
Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh told broadcaster ABC that “smarter” digital outreach, including targeted ads on social media platform TikTok and in online games, helped the Australian Defence Force (ADF) achieve its highest recruitment figures in 15 years.
Keogh explained that the ads were being placed “where our target age groups are” to showcase the wide range of careers available in the military.
The government on Monday said in a statement that the ADF enlisted more than 7,000 full-time personnel in the 2024-25 financial year which ended in June, the most since 2009-10, while applications rose to over 75,000, a five-year high and 28% year-on-year increase.
ABC reported that the median age of new recruits was 23.
The military’s departure rate also dropped to 7.9%, helping lift the permanent full-time ADF headcount to over 61,000.
Officials say the Canberra government remains on track to reach its target of 69,000 permanent personnel by the early 2030s.
“It is essential that Australia has the Defence Force it needs to help protect its strategic interests, and that is why we have made significant investments to support our current Defence workforce and grow it for the future,” said Defence Minister Richard Marles.
