Defence Abuse Response Taskforce: Report recommends royal commission into abuse

Updated

Abuse at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) should be investigated by a royal commission, according to a Defence Abuse Response Taskforce (DART) report released today.

The DART has also finalised a report into abuse in the broader Australian Defence Force, based on approximately 2,400 complaints.

It has identified an extraordinary number of alleged abusers that it says are still serving, including.

594 individuals in Permanent Forces and working as Australian Public Service employees in Defence;

204 individuals in the Active Reserve; and

341 alleged abusers in the Inactive Reserve

In relation to the findings of abuse at ADFA, taskforce chair Len Roberts-Smith concluded that "the only way of ensuring confidence that the allegations of very serious abuse at ADFA can be thoroughly and completely investigated - and appropriately dealt with - is by way of a royal commission".

Such an outcome has been called for by a number of people including some of the lawyers who worked on earlier government reports into Defence abuse.

They have pointed out that some of the perpetrators of those crimes and some of those who witnessed them but did nothing, are still serving in the ADF and have risen through the ranks.

Got a confidential news tip? Email ABC Investigations at investigations@abc.net.au For more sensitive information: Text message using the Signal phone app +61 436 369 072 No system is 100 per cent secure, but the Signal app uses end-to-end encryption and can protect your identity. Please read the terms and conditions. No system is 100 per cent secure, but the Signal app uses end-to-end encryption and can protect your identity. Please read the terms and conditions.

Defence Minister David Johnston told parliament on Wednesday the Government would respond to the findings in the "near future".

"We'll consider Mr Roberts-Smith's recommendations, including that one of a royal commission be held in respect of the ADFA - we'll consider those recommendations very, very carefully," he said.

In June this year the ABC's Four Corners program heard from one victim who is still serving in the Defence Force who described having to serve alongside her alleged rapist.

The DART's ADFA report said it identified that: "There are at least 13 individuals identified as alleged abusers in cases of serious sexual or other abuse of women in the 1990s still serving in the Permanent Forces or Active Reserve and an additional three individuals who have transferred to the inactive/standby Reserve."

The DART has referred 80 cases to police and handed out more than $28 million in reparation payments.

But it was also tasked specifically with looking at the cases known as the ADFA 24, the largely unresolved reports of rape and other sexual abuse at the Canberra military college.

The DART itself has not taken statements from, or approached, the perpetrators and many believe a royal commission is now the only way forward.

When the DART was established the Government left it open to the group to make a recommendation for a royal commission.

In the case of abuse that dates back to young cadets at the Leeuwin naval academy in the 1950s and 60s, the victims were all under 18 at the time and will be dealt with by the current royal commission into institutional child abuse.

But the ADFA cases deal with cadets over the age of 18.

Defence chief says addressing abuse "difficult and complex"

A royal commission would be welcomed by many of the victims, but others would find it difficult giving evidence unless provision was made for private testimony.

But the DART has not recommended a royal commission into defence generally.

In its report into wider defence force abuse, it said a general royal commission into abuse in defence with no limitations as to time, place or person, would be an enormous, resource-intensive and extremely expensive exercise likely to take some years.

Still it has criticised the ADF stating that: "Defence mismanaged actual reports of abuse in a significant number of cases."

"Defence took no action in response to many reports of abuse, for example, by not believing complainants or by dismissing the abuse as inconsequential or as an aspect of military life."

Defence Chief Air Marshal Binskin welcomed the long-awaited report and said the Defence Force was making real progress on cultural change.

In a statement, he said Defence remained focused on supporting victims of abuse.

He said addressing historical allegations of abuse in Defence was a difficult and complex issue affecting the lives of many people.

The release of the reports coincides with the conclusion of Mr Roberts-Smith's term as taskforce chair. The Government is yet to announce a replacement to guide the taskforce until it is due to wind up in mid-2016.

Topics: defence-forces, defence-and-national-security, government-and-politics, federal-government, australia

First posted