Annual Report 2004-05

Effectiveness of Investigations and Complaints Handling

Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force

Performance Review

The prototype model developed to identify trends or deficiencies in the military justice system at a macro-level in the previous financial year was further improved during 2004-05. The work done to date has enabled a baseline to be established to assist in the identification of time line trends, if any.

Following trialing of the audit processes at four units, audits of 14 units were conducted during the year. As the audit process has now matured it is expected that 30 to 40 audits will be conducted during 2005-06. The audits conducted indicated that the military justice system was functioning satisfactorily at all units visited.

The views of focus groups at various rank levels were sought during unit audits to assist in gaining a contemporary perspective of the operation of the military justice system.

Indications are that military justice audits are having a broader impact on units in addition to those specifically audited by Inspector-General of the ADF. In particular, the Inspector General of the ADF template for unit audits is now being used by some commanders to conduct their own performance checks of military justice arrangements at units within their command.

Advisory

Four courses were conducted for inquiry officers appointed under the Defence (Inquiry) Regulations with 90 officers being trained and included on the register of persons suitable to conduct administrative inquiries.

The ADF Administrative Inquiries Tracking System was developed by the Registrar of Military Justice in conjunction with Inspector-General of the ADF to provide a tool for Commanders at all levels to track the conduct of administrative inquiries and the implementation of accepted recommendations. The system is currently being trialed on the Defence Restricted Network.