Jacqui Lambie gears up to grill ADF chief Angus Campbell
The former soldier turned senator is preparing to turn up the heat when the ADF chief comes before senate estimates this week.
Firebrand independent senator Jacqui Lambie says she won’t hold back when ADF chief Angus Campbell comes before senate estimates this week.
The former soldier turned Tasmanian senator said there were “certainly letters” she would like off the Defence Force, particularly in relation to personnel accused of war crimes who will have their medals stripped.
It follows reports General Campbell has, in recent weeks, written to several current and former Defence Force members, informing them that their honours for distinguished and conspicuous service in war operations could be cancelled over their alleged behaviour.
It’s been reported the letters have been sent to soldiers who held command positions in the Afghanistan war and were a recommendation of the damning Brereton report.
Senator Lambie said there were “problems here” and questioned whether the top brass at the time of the war, including General Campbell, would be made to also hand back their medals.
“These guys have been through crap and (there are) no charges. Now putting their faces and families out there,” she told Channel 9.
“We have problems here.”
She said she would question whether General Campbell was prepared to “lead by example and hand back his own medals”.
Last week, veterans groups furiously reacted at General Campbell’s intention to revoke honours, pleading with the Albanese government to interfere.
Senator Lambie is expected to also press the Defence Force over its “outdated” Australian Defence Force Academy and renew her plea for the institution to be shut down.
Last week, Senator Lambie called the Academy a “failed 1980s experiment” that offered junior officers “almost no experience in managing actual people”.
It came after the chair of the royal commission probing veteran suicide took aim at Defence leadership.
She suggested a major overhaul of leadership processes within the Defence Force could improve outcomes for personnel.
Defence Force officials will appear before senate estimates in Canberra on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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