Jacqui Lambie demands information about efforts to revoke military honours from some ADF commanders

Senator Jacqui Lambie has demanded information from the Defence chief about efforts to strip awards from some ADF commanders.

Jacqui Lambie has threatened to disrupt Senate proceedings for a fortnight as part of her campaign to obtain more information about Defence chief Angus Campbell’s fresh attempt to strip military awards from some Afghanistan war commanders.

The Tasmanian independent senator pursued General Campbell over the question of how many current and former service personnel could lose their honours as he appeared before a Senate estimates committee on Tuesday.

Senator Lambie, who served in the Army for nearly a decade before entering politics, had vowed to question Defence top brass over the issue after it was reported General Campbell would make a second attempt at removing some commanders’ medals because of the Brereton report.

During one of several tense exchanges between the pair on Tuesday, General Campbell confirmed he had recently sent letters to some people informing them their honours for distinguished and conspicuous service may be cancelled.

General Campbell noted the Brereton inquiry into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan – which found credible evidence 39 Afghan civilians were killed by Australian special forces – had recommended that a review be undertaken into the decorations of some commanders.

Senator Jacqui Lambie blew up over the medals issue. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Lambie suggested Campbell has sent up to 24 letters in recent months “asking them to give their medals back”.

General Campbell disputed this figure, but refused to disclose the exact number.

He said he would only release the letters if directed to do so by the government.

General Campbell added it would ultimately be Defence Minister Richard Marles’ decision as to whether any military honours should be revoked.

“This isn’t a mystery process. It’s not a criminal process,” he said.

Senator Lambie vowed to “fight” General Campbell “every step of the way” until he released redacted copies of the letters he had sent.

“It’s even going to get worse for the Senate when I stop it every hour for two weeks straight until I get those letters redacted with the names (taken off) them,” she said.

Gen Angus Campbell appeared before Senate estimates on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

When Senator Lambie raised the matter again later in the estimates hearing, General Campbell said the letters related to a “small number of persons who held command appointments during particular periods of operational service in Afghanistan”.

“I know that not only yourself, but a range of other interested parties and the media are circling around this issue like great whites in a feeding frenzy,” he said.

“I would wish to decline to tell you the number, so as to mitigate the enthusiasm with which these people are hunted down by the media looking for spectacle.”

General Campbell first attempted to strip the meritorious unit citation for the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) in 2020 after he announced he had accepted a recommendation in the Brereton report to do so.

But those plans were thwarted after senior Morrison government ministers intervened following a fierce backlash from the veterans community over concerns personnel who weren’t implicated in alleged war crimes – including some who had died – would have their honours revoked.

At the time, then-defence minister Peter Dutton announced he would overturn the Brereton report’s recommendation, allowing about 3000 SOTG personnel who served between 2007 and 2013 to keep their citations.

Senator Lambie on Tuesday asked General Campbell why he himself hadn’t had his awards rescinded, given he oversaw Australian troops in Afghanistan during a period in which some war crimes were allegedly committed.

Originally published as Jacqui Lambie demands information about efforts to revoke military honours from some ADF commanders