Role
The Directorate of Military Discipline Law (DMDL) mission is to provide high-quality, timely legal advice and support to command, management and individual Service members of the Australian Defence Organisation on all aspects of military justice.

Responsibilities
DMDL’s responsibilities are to:

• provide professional oversight of the practical application of discipline law in the ADF;
• provide advice to the CDF and the Service Chiefs on the application of the Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 (DFDA), including petitions and appeals;
• provide assistance to, and the provision of, advice to the Inspector-General and Service Police on policy, procedures, and investigations;
• liaise with the JAG ADF on professional and technical matters;
• manage, review and co-ordinate the up-dating of the Discipline Law Manual (DLM); and
• staff all Defence Force Regulation 4 instruments to CDF and maintain a register of extant and historical instruments.

Policy
The Policy section provides legal advice on Defence policies and instructions, legislative amendments, command and control issues, and training. Policy also produces DLM amendments and DMJ Updates.

Reviews and Special Investigations
DMJ is involved in inquiries into military justice and discipline. These have included the 3RAR investigation, the Abadee Report into the conduct of military trials, the 1999 Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (JSCFAD&T) report into military justice procedures, the 2001 JSCFAD&T report on “rough justice”, and the Burchett audit of military justice, and the 2004 Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee’s Inquiry into the effectiveness of Australia’s military justice system.

Address
Department of Defence
Defence Legal - DMDL
CP2-3-041
CAMPBELL PARK ACT 2600
Fax: 02 6266 3156