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June 18th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda
Updated
Photo:
Personal guarantee: General David Hurley (L) (AAP: Alan Porritt)
Defence Force chief David Hurley is vowing to do everything he can to stamp out abuse within the Australian Defence Force, warning that anyone found guilty will be “brought to justice”.
General Hurley recorded a video message to all Defence personnel last week after fresh details of abuse were revealed by the ABC.
The ABC’s 7:30 program obtained the uncensored summary of abuse allegations prepared by law firm DLA Piper on behalf of the Government after the so-called Skype sex scandal.
According to the report, there are hundreds of “plausible” allegations of abuse – some involving multiple claims – adding that “there is a risk that those perpetrators now hold middle and senior management positions within the ADF”.
General Hurley says he is taking the matter “very seriously” and has given a “personal guarantee” he will do everything possible to wipe out all forms of abuse.
“I find every instance of this both distressing and disappointing when it occurs,” General Hurley told The World Today.
“I certainly do feel for people that are involved in the DLA Piper (report) who’ve made allegations.”
“This report does not define the ADF, it talks about an element of behaviour in the ADF that we need to stamp out.
“If people have offended, they will be brought to justice.”
The report’s release prompted a public debate about how to respond to the allegations of abuse, including the possibility of a royal commission to delve deeper into the problem.
Audio:
General Hurley talks to the The World Today
(The World Today)
General Hurley says whatever the Government decides will have the support of the military top brass, although he has sounded a word of caution against pursuing a royal commission.
“I’ll support whatever mechanism the Government says, but I do draw people’s attention to the fact that the report itself says that a royal commission may not be the most suitable outcome,” he said.
“It says it could be too cumbersome to deal with people who require reparation.”
Regardless of what further action is taken, General Hurley says he is confident any offender still serving will be caught.
The DLA Piper report says many of the alleged abuse victims have come forward for the first time, despite previous investigations into the extent of the problem.
It points to several possible factors behind the “very low rate” of reporting sexual assault, including the low prospect of conviction and a chain of command that “lends itself to superiors abusing juniors with impunity”.
General Hurley says the findings indicate there is a further need to reassess internal defence procedures.
“There’s been a fault there somewhere in some of these training institutions – that’s primarily where it’s occurred: imbalances of power, the structures in the organisation and so forth,” he said.
“We need to have a good, hard look at that again … and root that out.”
But he says there has been an “enormous” improvement in reducing the number of offences within the ADF over time.
Topics:
defence-and-national-security,
defence-forces,
sexual-offences,
law-crime-and-justice,
australia
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