War crimes report: there’ll be no repeats, Scott Morrison vows

Scott Morrison has assured Australians that measures implemented to ensure the same mistakes ‘can’t be repeated’ following a damning war-crimes probe.

Scott Morrison says he had given assurances to the Afghan government that Australia would respond ‘very seriously’ to allegations outlined in the Inspector-General’s report. Picture: Getty Images

Scott Morrison has assured Australians that misconduct by special forces in Afghanistan will be dealt with “very seriously” and measures implemented to ensure the same mistakes “can’t be repeated” following a damning war-crimes probe.

Following the release of a report — after a four-year inquiry by judge Paul Brereton that revealed 25 Australian soldiers allegedly murdered at least 39 civilians and prisoners — the Prime Minister said it was ­important lessons were learned.

Mr Morrison said he had given assurances to the Afghan government that Australia would respond “very seriously” to allegations outlined in the Inspector-General’s report. But he also said the high esteem of Australia’s Defence forces had been “earned over more than a century”.

“That stands. And firmly. It stands for a number of reasons. The first of which, the obvious great acts of our defence forces over many, many years,” Mr Morrison told Sky News.

“For all those veterans out there, I want to assure you, and serving men and women as well, that this process doesn’t just look at any particular events or acts.

“It also looks at the environment and the sets of rules and other conditioning factors that were relevant here.”

Opposition defence spokesman Richard Marles described the allegations as “simply appalling”.

“It leaves all of us who value the place of the Australian Defence Force in our nation’s history and culture with a very heavy heart,” Mr Marles said.

He said Labor supported the government’s actions in responding to the Afghanistan inquiry. “The allegations in respect of a few, do not detract from the sacrifice of the many. I particularly want to acknowledge the bravery of those soldiers who stood up and called out when they saw wrong occurring within their own ranks,” he said.

Mr Morrison said ADF members would still have the respect of Australians for their “selflessness and their service” and by making the choice to “pull on that uniform and to serve their country in the way they do.”

“From that moment on they have earned our respect and their conduct beyond that in the overwhelming majority of the Defence force experience backs that up.

“Where things don’t measure up to those standards, as a country and indeed as a Defence force we look seriously at those issues, take them seriously and deal with them seriously,” he said.

Mr Morrison said protecting the integrity of the Defence forces and rule of law was critical and Australia would ensure — including at an international level — that it was seen as a “country that deals, even with difficult news, in the most appropriate way and consistent with our values”.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said the Brereton war crimes inquiry unveiled “grave failings” in the ADF and accountability would be the ADF’s primary focus.

“The Afghanistan inquiry report contains findings and recommendations about a range of very serious matters that the Chief of the Defence Force must now comprehensively respond to,” she said.

“Accountability will be the cornerstone of Defence’s response.

“This is crucial to maintaining the highest standards Australians expect of our military, reassuring confidence and trust, and learning from grave failings.

“The findings announced by the Chief of the Defence Force today should not cast a shadow on the vast majority whose con­tributions to the mission in Afghanistan were carried out to the highest standards demanded of them.”