Elizabeth Cosson

Major General Elizabeth Cosson, (born 1958) served as Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs from 2018-2023. Cosson "vowed" to resign as Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, on 19 July 2020, if she cannot improve the department’s relationship with veterans stating in a media interview on 19 July 2019 that "if I’m still part of the problem in 12 months I will hand over [the job]."

Between 1979 and 2010, Cosson served 31 years in the Australian Army as an officer, commencing with officer training in the Women's Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) on 22 February 1979 (when she was 20 years old) at Georges Heights (WRAAC OCS 28/79 – the first WRAAC Officer course to have a similar syllabus and training duration as the male officer cadets had, and coming only a year after servicewomen first received the right to equal pay). In 1983 she was transferred to the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps, as the WRAACs disbanded.

In 2007, Cosson became the first female major general in the Australian Army (but not the first female two star Australian Defence Force officer, as Air Vice Marshal Julie Hammer achieved this milestone in 2003).

While Cosson is most well known for her part in the Kovco scandal (due to the extensive media coverage it generated), it has not harmed her career in any lasting way, and not only did she go on to get promoted (despite the 12 month formal administrative warning she received), but she has since held a number of senior executive service appointments at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (later re-named the Department of Immigration and Border Protection), and the Department of Health.

Early life Elizabeth Cosson is a descendant of First World War veteran Second Lieutenant John George Cosson (her great-grandfather) and the child of Brigadier John George Cosson and Joyce Emily Cosson (nee Hawken).

Education Cosson graduated from the Army Command and Staff College at Fort Queenscliff in 1994 and the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies in 2005. She holds a Graduate Diploma in Management Studies, a Bachelor of Social Sciences and a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies.

In 1991 she was appointed to a position at the Royal Australian Air Force Logistics Command where she was responsible for the logistics support to army aviation aircraft. For her work in improving the availability of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter fleet and supporting the fleet deployment to Cambodia, she received a commendation from the Air Officer Commanding Logistics.

On her return from Bougainville she served with Defence Corporate Services before being seconded to the Joint Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade in the House of Representatives. In 2002, Cosson commenced a three-year appointment in strategic logistics planning and was responsible for logistics policy and for developing concepts to improve logistics information systems. In this position she was responsible for the management of integrated service delivery to Defence bases across Australia.

In March 2007 she assumed the role of Head Defence Support Operations in an acting capacity. In November 2007, the role was confirmed and she became the first woman to be promoted to the rank of major general in the Australian Army. She is the second female to be promoted to two-star rank in the Australian Defence Force, the first being Air Vice Marshal Julie Hammer, who retired in 2005. Cosson, as head of National Operations within the Defence Support Group, became responsible for the management of 80 ADF bases and garrisons across the country. At that time, although about 13% of the ADF were women, there were only four at the one-star level: Commodore Robyn Walker, Commodore Vicki McConachie, Brigadier Lyn McDade and Air Commodore Margaret Staib.

In November 2010, Major General Cosson retired from the Australian Defence Force.

In December 2010 it was announced that she had been appointed general manager of the Executive Division of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Cosson was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2011 Australia Day Honours List as a result of her "exceptional service" in the positions of Director General Regions and Bases, and as Head Defence Support Operations.

Kovco affair Cosson was appointed in April 2006 to investigate the circumstances surrounding the repatriation of the body of Jacob Kovco. On 15 May 2006, following a meeting with the Victorian Coroner, she left a CD-ROM containing a draft copy of her report which was marked ‘secret’ in a public computer in the Qantas Club lounge of Melbourne Airport. Due to this she became known as the ‘Bungling Brigadier’ Parts of the report were subsequently broadcast by Derryn Hinch. This incident was the subject of a Defence Department inquiry and Cosson elected to retire in 2010.

Personal life Cosson is married to Brigadier James Baker,