I congratulate Warrant Officer Deb Butterworth OAM, CSM and Bar on her appointment to the role of Warrant Officer of the Royal Australian Navy.
Warrant Officer Butterworth is the first female appointed to this significant role and only the ninth person to hold this office since its inception in 1993.
The Warrant Officer of the Navy is the Navy's most senior sailor and the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mike Noonan AM, and his Senior Leadership Group.
This appointment is reflective of Warrant Officer Butterworth's outstanding career achievements to date, and exemplifies the depth and diversity of leadership across the Australian Defence Force.
I also sincerely thank the outgoing Warrant Officer of the Navy, Gary Wight AM, for his dedication, care and strong advocacy in representing the views and concerns of sailors throughout his career, and particularly so over the last three years.
A full biography of Warrant Officer Butterworth is available at: https://www.navy.gov.au/biography/warrant-officer-deb-butterworth
