Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese says more Coalition members should leave Parliament without taking up plum posts overseas that would otherwise have gone to experienced career diplomats.
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It comes as both Labor and the Coalition talk up plans to deal with foreign threats.
Foreign Affairs officials have told Mr Albanese that the marginalising of professional diplomats in favour of ex-politicians in need of a job is "worse than it has ever been", he claimed.
Seven of the top diplomatic posts are currently held by former Liberal MPs, including Arthur Sinodinos to the United States, Mitch Fifield to the United Nations, and George Brandis to the UK. They will soon be joined by an eighth in former Senate president Scott Ryan, who was promised the top role to Canada upon quitting Parliament late last year.
"It's absurd, and that undermines confidence in DFAT," Mr Albanese said, following a major national security speech at the Lowy Institute in Sydney on Thursday outlining his six-point approach to keeping Australians secure.
"What is that saying to the people who have worked their guts out, studied, developed relationships, and just get someone plopped in over the top of them who has no experience in that area?"
Gary Gray, the ambassador to Ireland and former resources minister, is the only former Labor MP to be appointed to a diplomatic post by the current government.
Mr Albanese said he was not against all political appointments, citing former NSW Liberal premier Barry O'Farrell's appointment to the top role to India. Labor would respect the public service and restore Australia's diplomatic capability to respond in times of crisis as well as build soft diplomacy over time, he said.
It comes as the Prime Minister announced an expanded workforce for Defence by 2040 at a cost of $38 billion. Defence has failed to meet recruiting targets since 2015, but the government wants to see an additional 18,000 personnel with needed skills added over time.
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Around 2700 of those new personnel would be stationed in the ACT, as Defence skills up for new capabilities in space, cyber and with its future nuclear submarine fleet.
"The first priority of my government is keep Australians safe, and to do that we need a bigger ADF with more soldiers, sailors and airmen and women to operate the cutting-edge capabilities we're getting to protect Australia," the PM said.
"We must start now so critical skills can be taught and experience gained."
Labor's Brendan O'Connor said the government sat on a decision taken last year to boost ADF numbers - a goal that won't be reached for 18 years - to announce it on the eve of an election.
"We have concerns about this government's track record when it comes to recruitment and retention of our ADF," Mr O'Connor said.
Harley Dennett
Former federal politics bureau chief for the Canberra Times, via a career that's taken me from rural Victoria to Washington DC. Telling the stories of my local LGBTI community brought me to political journalism, where I've covered eight budgets, four national elections in two countries, Defence, public service and international governance.
Former federal politics bureau chief for the Canberra Times, via a career that's taken me from rural Victoria to Washington DC. Telling the stories of my local LGBTI community brought me to political journalism, where I've covered eight budgets, four national elections in two countries, Defence, public service and international governance.
