Some serious spring cleaning is going on at the department formerly in charge of military procurement.

None of the remaining senior executives from the now abolished Defence Materiel Organisation made it to the shortlist for jobs at its new incarnation - the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group.

Defence is clearing out band three senior executives from the DMO, replacing them with just one senior public servant at the head of the new group.

It has left a number of high ranking bureaucrats with the choice of moving on or accepting a big drop in pay and authority to stay on with the Sustainment Group.

Former DMO boss Warren King has remained with the department, doing “good work” in a different role, according to Fairfax Media reports. .

The person now in Mr King's spot, Harry Dunstall, has reportedly failed to make the shortlist for the top jobs at the CASG as well.

Shireane McKinnie, formerly DMO's general manager systems, has missed the cut for a senior role at the new group, as has Colin Thorne, the DMO's general manager of land and maritime projects.

The "first principles" shake-up unveiled earlier this year called for 3000 civilian jobs to be culled and for 1000 sailors, soldiers and air force personnel to e moved from their office jobs back into the armed forces. 

The moves are designed to make the lines of leadership and control clearer, after a recent review found an administrative structure of 12 layers between top bosses and front line staff.

The Defence Department's media unit gave no word to the media’s questions about the future of the former DMO executives.

“Defence does not comment on such matters for obvious reasons,” a spokesperson said.