Action over photograph

THE Army will pursue administrative and disciplinary action against several officers as a result of a further, more comprehensive inquiry into a photograph depicting soldiers with white hoods on their heads in the style of the Ku Klux Klan.

As a result of senior command dissatisfaction with the original inquiry, CA Lt-Gen Leahy announced last November that a new inquiry would be undertaken.

Conducted by a senior officer, the agreed findings and recommendations of his report will now be implemented.

“The Army has now undertaken a comprehensive inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the photograph taken in 2000 and administrative and disciplinary action will now be pursued against those persons involved in the incident. Regardless of the intent of these types of incident, they can not be in any way excused,” Lt-Gen Leahy said.

“In particular, disciplinary and/or administrative action will be pursued against the officer who organised the photograph, the officer to whom the incident was reported and the officer who conducted the original inquiry.”

The Army is also taking further action to reinforce Army’s equity and diversity policy and will review the equity training it delivers to units. Action will be taken to improve the performance of inquiry officers who are involved in sensitive inquiries through better training and support.

“The Army takes any incident of harassment or discrimination very seriously. This type of behaviour has no place in the Army. We cannot, should not and will not tolerate it,” Lt-Gen Leahy said.

“The Army actively promotes a fair go for all and encourages its members to speak out if they feel they have been harassed, or have been the subject of discrimination or any other form of unacceptable behaviour so it can be dealt with.

“Anyone who believes they may have been subjected to any form of harassment, discrimination or any other form of unacceptable behaviour is encouraged to come forward and report it so that it can be investigated.

“This type of behaviour by a few individuals should in no way devalue the excellent work undertaken by the vast majority of personnel within the Army, most recently seen on operations in East Timor, the Solomon Islands and Iraq.”