KOVCO BOI PRESIDENT WARNS MEDIA ON ANONYMITY RULING

President of the Board of Inquiry into the death of Private Jake Kovco, GPCAPT Warren Cook, has called on media to respect the need to maintain anonymity for members of the ADF deployed in Iraq giving evidence to the Board.

The President was commenting on the breach of his direction that occurred yesterday.

In the first week of the BOI, the President made the direction that the identity of the officers and soldiers serving off-shore would be protected, they were to be referred to by a randomly chosen number only and any publication of their faces was to be pixilated.

GPCAPT Cook said the substantial public interest in having a transparent hearing process needed to be balanced against the need to protect the security of the Joint Task Force mission and its personnel.

The Board had the same obligations and powers of enforcement as a Court of Inquiry.

Under Regulation 62 of the Defence Inquiry Regulation, the President has the power to make directions in relation to the disclosure of information.  

The breach of such a direction by any person may constitute an offence under those regulations.

Media contact:

Defence Media Liaison          (02) 6265 3343 or 0408 498 664

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