Military justice inquiry

THE CDF and Service Chiefs will appear before the Senate References Committee inquiring into the effectiveness of the Military Justice System (MJS) on March 1.

Labor Defence spokesman Senator Chris Evans requested the inquiry last October, opening the opportunity for members of the ADF and the public to make submissions to the Senate Committee by February 16.
Air Vice-Marshal Bob Treloar, Head of the Senate Taskforce, said it had been some six years since the last formal Senate Inquiry into the MJS and this would be a further opportunity for the ADF to consider and correct any shortcomings that might be identified during the inquiry.

“The MJS is not a closed system. It is subject to internal and external review and scrutiny, in some cases by the Coroner, the Federal Court and, on occasion, the High Court of Australia,” AVM Treloar said. “The Taskforce’s role is to support the CDF and the Service Chiefs and to support members of the ADF who may appear before the Senate Committee.

“If anyone feels they have a need or wish to make a comment about the MJS, then they should do so by contacting the Secretariat of the Senate Committee at Parliament House, Canberra.

“The Senate Taskforce’s responsibility is to offer support to all Defence witnesses, whether they make a private submission, or if they are a formal Defence witness. The support offered by the Senate Taskforce is in relation to the management and administration of the Defence submission, not in compiling individual submissions.”

For full details on how to make a submission, including information on anonymity and protection under parliamentary privilege, visit www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/fadt_ctte/miljustice

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