tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/angus-campbell-52496/articlesAngus Campbell – The Conversation2023-06-14T20:09:13Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2076152023-06-14T20:09:13Z2023-06-14T20:09:13ZStripping medals from soldiers is murky territory, and must not distract from investigating alleged war crimes<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531833/original/file-20230614-29-dxqwmr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dave Hunt/AAP</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>It could be years before Ben Roberts-Smith and others are stripped of military awards for their service in Afghanistan and face Australian criminal court on war crimes charges, if in fact that ever happens. </p>
<p>Investigations of war crimes are <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-investigating-potential-war-crimes-in-afghanistan-just-became-much-harder-and-could-take-years-171412">difficult and time-consuming</a>. In the meantime, calls for the Defence Department to continue to address the allegations against Australian Defence Force personnel have grown louder. </p>
<p>In the case of Roberts-Smith, the investigation is now being undertaken by a <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/massive-blow-afp-war-crimes-probe-collapses-over-risk-of-tainted-evidence-20230613-p5dg7c.html">joint taskforce</a> from the Office of the Special Investigator and the Australian Federal Police, rather than the AFP on its own. The decision to move the investigation resulted from issues with how evidence that could be used in a criminal case was collected in the Brereton inquiry. Such problems with evidence are difficult for investigation teams and courts that are not specifically designed to deal with war crimes. </p>
<p>Debate has also arisen in Australia over whether commanders as well as direct perpetrators ought to be held <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-australian-commanders-need-to-be-held-responsible-for-alleged-war-crimes-in-afghanistan-151030">responsible</a> for war crimes, and what the leadership failings in Afghanistan were. Such debates are relevant to the issue of individual and unit awards and honours.</p>
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<span class="caption">Over 26,000 Australian security personnel served in the Afghanistan war.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Alex Ellinghausen</span></span>
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<h2>Australia’s obligations under the Rome Statute</h2>
<p>The public debate – and even <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/09/australias-military-should-be-held-to-account-but-its-the-individual-soldier-who-pulls-the-trigger">expert opinion</a> – has tended to overlook the fact that Australia’s response to the alleged war crimes in Afghanistan is governed primarily by its international obligations. These obligations outweigh any views about war crimes that may be held within the defence community or the general public.</p>
<p>Administrative measures undertaken by Defence cannot substitute for war crimes prosecutions. Australia is a full party to the <a href="https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/RS-Eng.pdf">1998 Rome Statute</a>, which is the cornerstone of international war crimes law and is reflected in Australia’s <a href="https://www.ag.gov.au/about-us/publications/attorney-generals-department-annual-report-2017-18/appendixes/appendix-3-international-criminal-court">own domestic law</a> covering war crimes. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-investigating-potential-war-crimes-in-afghanistan-just-became-much-harder-and-could-take-years-171412">Why investigating potential war crimes in Afghanistan just became much harder – and could take years</a>
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<p>The Rome Statute requires that Australia fully investigate and punish war crimes committed by its forces, at all ranks. Australia has conducted war crimes trials of enemy combatants <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-australian-commanders-need-to-be-held-responsible-for-alleged-war-crimes-in-afghanistan-151030">in the past</a>, in which it has found direct perpetrators, their local commanders and their senior officers guilty of war crimes and has punished them accordingly. </p>
<p>To fail to comprehensively prosecute alleged war crimes now, because the defendants would be Australian, is a morally and politically untenable position. Comprehensive trials also offer the only path to the public understanding where culpability for war crimes sits along the military chain of command.</p>
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<h2>Removing medals and citations</h2>
<p>The prompt removal of medals and citations, however, would provide Defence with an opportunity to condemn war crimes immediately, rather than waiting until formal trials can be held.</p>
<p>Defence honours and awards in Australia are awarded through an administrative process. Though awards have been revoked in the past for dishonourable conduct, it remains an unusual step. The process of conferring or revoking a high-level award needs the support of the government. </p>
<p>The Australian Defence Force has been criticised for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/01/adf-taking-too-long-to-enact-reforms-after-afghanistan-war-crimes-inquiry-watchdog-warns">moving too slowly</a> to address public concerns over its record in Afghanistan. However, some attempts have been made. </p>
<p>In the aftermath of the <a href="https://www.defence.gov.au/about/reviews-inquiries/afghanistan-inquiry">Brereton Report</a>, Chief of the Defence Force General Angus Campbell announced the Special Operations Task Group would be stripped of a Meritorious Unit Citation for conduct in Afghanistan. The announcement caused a media and political uproar, and then Prime Minister Scott Morrison <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-30/defence-says-no-decision-yet-on-meritorious-citation-afghanistan/12935302">reversed</a> the decision. </p>
<p>It has since emerged that at least three <a href="https://insidestory.org.au/breretons-unfinished-business/">senior officers</a>, including <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/defence-chief-angus-campbell-tried-to-hand-back-his-afghanistan-medal-but-was-refused-20230612-p5dfs6.html">Campbell</a>, have attempted to return their own medals, awarded for distinguished command and leadership in action. In all three cases, the Coalition government denied this request. </p>
<p>Campbell has reportedly asked a group of former commanding officers to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/drive/jacqui-lambie-fury-over-defence-chief-letters/102423354">return their medals</a>. In Senate Estimates, he stated such a move would represent a step towards accountability for the command failures in the Afghanistan operation.</p>
<p>The Labor government has appeared <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7997036/defence-chief-cleared-to-strip-medals/">more willing</a> for medals and awards to be handed back or stripped than its Coalition predecessor was. </p>
<p>The problems that Campbell has encountered in attempting to revoke honours, and in trying to hand his own back, highlight the fact that commendations have both military and political significance – which makes any decision to revoke honours particularly difficult.</p>
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<span class="caption">ADF chief Angus Campbell has attempted to strip officers of their medals, and to hand back his own, both to no avail.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Lukas Coch/AAP</span></span>
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<h2>Will the minister strip Roberts-Smith of his VC?</h2>
<p>Ben Roberts-Smith is the public figurehead of Australia’s war crimes saga, so it is no surprise questions have been raised over whether he ought to keep his Victoria Cross. He was awarded the VC for an earlier action that is not connected with allegations of war crimes against him. </p>
<p>No Australian has ever had a VC revoked. </p>
<p>While a number of VCs were revoked in the United Kingdom, mostly during the 19th century, revocation has since been the subject of <a href="https://insidestory.org.au/double-edged-sword/">high-level debate</a>.</p>
<p>In the defamation case, a civil court found on the balance of probabilities that Roberts-Smith had committed war crimes, but these actions do not technically erode the validity of his VC. At the same time, his earlier bravery did not protect him from allegations of war crimes, and there remains a moral and legal obligation for him to face criminal justice.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-defence-force-must-ensure-the-findings-against-ben-roberts-smith-are-not-the-end-of-the-story-206749">Australian Defence Force must ensure the findings against Ben Roberts-Smith are not the end of the story</a>
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<p>At face value, Roberts-Smith and his VC seem to be a different case – the medal was awarded to one soldier, for one action. To some, however, the medal seems also to mark out the recipient as a hero, or at least as a person of superior character. In this light, calls for the VC to be revoked in the wake of the defamation case are understandable.</p>
<p>As Australians reckon with this new and dark chapter of the country’s military history, the public will continue to ask who is most to blame for alleged war crimes committed by Australian forces in Afghanistan, until the question is comprehensively examined in the criminal court.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207615/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dean Aszkielowicz has previously received funding from the Army Research Scheme.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Paul Taucher does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The awarding, and revoking, of military medals is more complex than it appears, and is no replacement for the proper investigation of alleged war crimes.Dean Aszkielowicz, Senior Lecturer in History and Politics, Murdoch UniversityPaul Taucher, Lecturer in History, Murdoch UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1858782022-06-28T12:06:06Z2022-06-28T12:06:06ZAustralians favour more defence spending in Lowy poll, as Labor extends ADF chief Angus Campbell’s term<p>Australians are becoming more fearful in an insecure world, and want to see the country armed up, favouring more defence spending and the planned acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines. </p>
<p>Three quarters of Australians say it is likely China will become a military threat to Australia in the next 20 years, according to the 2022 <a href="https://poll.lowyinstitute.org/">Lowy Institute’s Poll</a>. This is an increase of 29 points since 2018. </p>
<p>Moreover, for the first time a majority (51%) would favour Australian military forces being used if China invaded Taiwan and the United States intervened. This was an eight-point rise since 2019 when the question was last asked. </p>
<p>Just over half (51%) say Australia should boost defence spending – a 20-point rise since 2019. Seven in ten favour the plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. More than six in ten support the American military being based in Australia.</p>
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<p>Defence Minister Richard Marles, who is acting prime minister, on Tuesday announced the government is extending the terms of the Chief of the Defence Force, Angus Campbell, and the ADF’s vice chief, Vice Admiral David Johnston, by two years. The government has also asked the CDF to extend the term of the Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Greg Bilton. </p>
<p>Marles said the extensions were because it was “a time which is as strategically complex as any since the end of the Second World War in terms of our national security and the needs of our defence procurement”. </p>
<p>In his preface to the poll, Lowy executive director Michael Fullilove writes:
“Australians are increasingly concerned about the potential for great power competition to spill over into confrontation. </p>
<p>"In 2022, Australians report feeling unsafe, and as the potential for conflict in our region feels more possible, support for Australia’s alliance with the United States has returned to a record high.”</p>
<p>Nearly seven in ten (68%) believe Russia’s foreign policy poses a critical threat to Australia’s vital interest in the next decade – a 36-point increase since 2017. Russian foreign policy tops the list of threats to Australia’s vital interests, narrowly ahead of China’s foreign policy (65% – up 29 points since 2017). </p>
<p>In general, anxiety about Russia, China and a war over Taiwan have overtaken Australians’ concerns about COVID-19 and climate change. </p>
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<p>The poll was conducted March 15-28 with a sample of 2006. It is the 18th in the Lowy Institute’s annual series and is authored by Natasha Kassam.</p>
<p>In the election campaign the Coalition tried to make national security and fears about China an issue to its advantage but this backfired when it came under attack for having been unable to head off the China-Solomons security pact. </p>
<p>The poll found 88% of people were concerned about China potentially opening a military base in a Pacific Island country. </p>
<p>While there has been a 11-point (to 58%) fall in confidence in US President Joe Biden since 2021, this is still 28 points above the confidence expressed in President Donald Trump in 2020 (30%). </p>
<p>On climate change, there is overwhelming support for federal government subsidies for renewable technology (90%), committing to a more ambitious emissions target for 2030 ((77%), and Australian hosting a United Nations climate conference (75%). Nearly two thirds (65%) support reducing coal exports, and banning new coal mines (63%). </p>
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<p>COVID has receded but not disappeared as a threat in the minds of Australians. Only just over four in ten (42%) see COVID as a critical threat to Australia’s interests, 17 points down on 2021 and 34 points down on 2020. </p>
<p>More than six in ten people (62%) are optimistic about Australia’s economic performance in the world over the next five years, but this is a 17-point fall from 2021. </p>
<p>With Anthony Albanese’s visiting Paris later this week, in the poll 49% blame both Australia and France for the tensions in the relationship over the cancellation of the submarine contract; 35% say Australia is more to blame, while 12% blame France more. </p>
<p>Making his announcement about the defence chief, Marles said the Albanese government “is putting a premium on continuity. This applies to strategic advice and the timely and effective delivery of key procurements including through the AUKUS framework. Australia cannot afford any further delay in the next generation of submarines.”</p>
<p>Marles announced new chiefs of the navy, army and air force. </p>
<p>Navy: Rear Admiral Mark Hammond. </p>
<p>Army: Major General Simon Stuart. </p>
<p>Air Force: Air Vice-Marshal Robert Chipman.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185878/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Australians are becoming more fearful in an insecure world, and want to see the country armed up, favouring more defence spending and the planned acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines.Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1594442021-04-21T08:35:37Z2021-04-21T08:35:37ZPolitics with Michelle Grattan: military ‘watch-dog’ Neil James on Afghanistan, China, and Peter Dutton<p>Sunday is ANZAC day - and this year it comes at a particularly important time for Australia’s military image. </p>
<p>Last week, Scott Morrison announced Australia’s remaining troops will leave Afghanistan by September, following President Biden’s announcement of the United States withdrawal.</p>
<p>One negative legacy of Australia’s participation in this conflict is documented in the Brereton report on Australia war crimes, which detailed alleged incidents of unlawful killing and cruelty by some special forces troops.</p>
<p>Among the report’s recommendations was the revocation of the Meritorious Unit Citation that had been awarded to some 3,000 soldiers.</p>
<p>The Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Angus Campbell, agreed with the recommendation. But critics were fierce and this week the new Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the award would not be revoked.</p>
<p>Executive Director of the Australia Defence Association Neil James joins the podcast, to discuss the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the strategic risk China poses, and the high profile new minister in the portfolio.</p>
<p>James is concerned the departure of international forces from Afghanistan will lead to more instability.</p>
<p>“By withdrawing and without a peace agreement with the Taliban, it’s going to be a reasonable problem. The simple thing about all wars is they always end when one side gives up or both sides get tired. And in this case, unfortunately, the message being sent to the Taliban is that the international community has given up.”</p>
<p>On China, James is concerned about any “number of flash points that could easily cause a war, even if only accidentally”.</p>
<p>Taiwan “is the big flash point.” </p>
<p>“President Xi will seek to legitimise his presidency by, in his words, absorbing Taiwan back into the motherland. That will automatically cause a war for the simple reason that Taiwan is a functioning democracy and a lot of the world’s democracies will probably object to that. That’s the biggest flash point.”</p>
<p>On the controversial Dutton decision to override Campbell over the citation, James believes the minister did the wrong thing.</p>
<p>“I think probably, to be brutally frank, he was ill advised. And I think if he [had] bothered to consult a bit more broadly and understood the implications of what he was doing, he may not have done it.”</p>
<p>“[The revocation] needs to be done for the simple reason that the revocation of the citation isn’t an Australian issue - it’s an international issue. We’re showing the world that we’re taking the Brereton report seriously. </p>
<p>"We admit the war crimes occurred even if we have difficulty convicting anyone of it, eventually. They certainly definitely occurred. And therefore, we have to be seen to be doing something about it. </p>
<p>"And by cancelling the revocation, we’re actually sending the wrong message internationally about Australia’s commitment to international law. But we’re also sending the wrong message internally within the defence force about unprofessional behaviour.”</p>
<p>While James thinks Dutton was “the only bloke who could have taken over the ministry after [Linda] Reynolds” was moved, he remains a strong defender of Reynolds.</p>
<p>Even before the Brittany Higgins matter, Reynolds faced considerable criticism from commentators. James believes there was a sexist element in some of the attacks on her performance in the portfolio, and he condemns those who thought Australia couldn’t be “taken seriously as a country when both the foreign minister and the defence minister were female”.</p>
<p>“I mean, that’s just absurd in the 21st century. It was actually absurd for most the late 20th century.”</p>
<p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/politics-with-michelle-grattan/id703425900?mt=2"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/233721/original/file-20180827-75984-1gfuvlr.png" alt="Listen on Apple Podcasts" width="268" height="68"></a> <a href="https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly90aGVjb252ZXJzYXRpb24uY29tL2F1L3BvZGNhc3RzL3BvbGl0aWNzLXdpdGgtbWljaGVsbGUtZ3JhdHRhbi5yc3M"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/233720/original/file-20180827-75978-3mdxcf.png" alt="" width="268" height="68"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-conversation-4/politics-with-michelle-grattan"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/233716/original/file-20180827-75981-pdp50i.png" alt="Stitcher" width="300" height="88"></a> <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/Politics-with-Michelle-Grattan-p227852/"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/233723/original/file-20180827-75984-f0y2gb.png" alt="Listen on TuneIn" width="318" height="125"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://radiopublic.com/politics-with-michelle-grattan-WRElBZ"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-152" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/233717/original/file-20180827-75990-86y5tg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=268&fit=clip" alt="Listen on RadioPublic" width="268" height="87"></a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5NkaSQoUERalaLBQAqUOcC"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/237984/original/file-20180925-149976-1ks72uy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=268&fit=clip" width="268" height="82"></a> </p>
<h2>Additional audio</h2>
<p><a href="http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/The_Big_Loop_-_FML_original_podcast_score/Lee_Rosevere_-_The_Big_Loop_-_FML_original_podcast_score_-_10_A_List_of_Ways_to_Die">A List of Ways to Die</a>, Lee Rosevere, from Free Music Archive.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/159444/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Michelle Grattan discusses the Australian military with executive director of the Australia Defence Associate, Neil James.Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1511162020-11-30T10:11:12Z2020-11-30T10:11:12ZADF Chief Angus Campbell retreats after government’s sortie over citation<p>After government pressure, Chief of the Australian Defence Force Angus Campbell has publicly retreated in the dispute over revoking the Meritorious Unit Citation for the Special Operations Task Group serving in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2013.</p>
<p>When he released the Brereton report on alleged atrocities by some special forces soldiers, Campbell said he would write to the governor-general asking for the citation – which is a group award, separate to those for particular individuals – to be revoked.</p>
<p>Brereton said while many of the soldiers showed great courage and commitment and the group had considerable achievements, “what is now known must disentitle the unit as a whole to eligibility for recognition for sustained outstanding service.”</p>
<p>But as a strong backlash came from some special forces veterans, members of the general public and sections of the media, Scott Morrison indicated he opposed the revocation.</p>
<p>The position shifted at the weekend to putting the future of this and other recommendations in the government’s hands – although Campbell did not himself say anything until late Monday.</p>
<p>In his Monday statement he noted Defence was developing a comprehensive implementation plan on the Brereton recommendations.</p>
<p>“No decisions have yet been made with regard to the appropriate options and approaches to implement the more than 140 recommendations,” he said.</p>
<p>This was a different tack to the impression he gave in releasing the report, when he said he accepted all Brereton’s recommendations.</p>
<p>He said on Monday “the complexity and sensitivity of the issues outlined in the report will take extensive and considered deliberation”.</p>
<p>“Any further action in response to the Inspector-General’s recommendations will be considered as part of the implementation plan, which is being developed with the oversight of the Minister for Defence and the independent Afghanistan Inquiry Implementation Oversight Panel.</p>
<p>"Key issues of public interest such as accountability, referrals to the Government-established Office of the Special Investigator, compensation, honours and awards including citations, ethical development of the force and command, and control of the Australian Defence Force in coalition operations, will all be addressed through the implementation plan.”</p>
<p>When the implementation plan was developed it would be “first considered by Defence leadership and presented to government for consideration and input”.</p>
<p>Campbell’s hasty retreat from his citation decision of less than a fortnight ago will raise questions about whether there will be soft pedalling on other aspects of the Brereton report, although it is considered likely most will be implemented.</p>
<p>However the government now appears locked into letting the citation stand, despite some military experts believing the view of Brereton and Campbell is the correct position.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/151116/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>ADF Chief Angus Campbell has publicly retreated in the dispute over revoking the Meritorious Unit Citation for the Special Operations Task Group serving in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2013.Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1510752020-11-29T09:13:02Z2020-11-29T09:13:02ZView from The Hill: How will ADF chief react if government insists Special Operations Task Group should keep citation?<p>The government is getting itself onto very sticky paper in the developing row over revoking the citation awarded to the Special Operations Task Group that served in Afghanistan because of alleged atrocities committed by a number of its members.</p>
<p>Announcing the findings of the Brereton inquiry, the Chief of the Defence Force, Angus Campbell, was crystal clear.</p>
<p>He’d accepted the report’s recommendation “and will write to the Governor-General requesting he revoke the Meritorious Unit Citation for Special Operations Task Groups who served in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2013”.</p>
<p>The rationale was that “units live and fight as a team. The report acknowledges, therefore, that there is also a collective responsibility for what is alleged to have happened,” he said.</p>
<p>This citation is distinct from honours and awards made to individual soldiers, which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.</p>
<p>The planned revocation generated an immediate backlash from some of those who’d served, and their supporters, with a petition gaining many thousands of signatures.</p>
<p>Now, the future of the citation is up in the air.</p>
<p>The Defence Department told Sunday’s ABC Insiders program: “Defence is preparing a comprehensive implementation plan to action the Inspector-General’s recommendations, with the oversight of the Minister for Defence through the recently established Afghanistan Inquiry Implementation Oversight Panel. Relevant agencies are being consulted, and advice will be provided to Government.</p>
<p>"It is important to note that this will take time due to the complexity of the issues outlined in the report. Final decisions on this advice will be a matter for Government.</p>
<p>"Any further action on the Meritorious Unit Citation, including any recommendation to the Governor-General, will be considered as part of the implementation plan.”</p>
<p>So when Campbell said he had accepted the Brereton recommendations in general, and the citation one in particular, it apparently did not mean quite what it seemed. The government appears to be leaving its options open to override the CDF.</p>
<p>Scott Morrison is highly sensitive to issues concerning the military – those serving and veterans.</p>
<p>Last week, asked on 2GB whether he supported the removal of the citation from some 3000 troops Morrison said: “Well, I’m waiting for General Campbell to be able to finalise his set of recommendations about what he proposes to do. And I know this is a very sensitive and controversial issue. It’s complex.”</p>
<p>So what are the factors in this complexity?</p>
<p>One: The Brereton report was unequivocal. “Although many members of the Special Operations Task Group demonstrated great courage and commitment, and although it had considerable achievements, what is now known must disentitle the unit as a whole to eligibility for recognition for sustained outstanding service.”</p>
<p>Justice Brereton was not unmindful of the proper behaviour of many of the soldiers. But he made the point that revocation was being recommended “as an effective demonstration of the collective responsibility and accountability of the Special Operations Task Group as a whole for those events”.</p>
<p>Two: Campbell was in no professional or moral doubt what he should do.</p>
<p>Three: The government is feeling it may not be worth the public fight and the angst to have the citation quashed.</p>
<p>Its removal would have costs.</p>
<p>But so would heading off its removal. </p>
<p>It would be a repudiation of the judgement of the independent inquiry.</p>
<p>It would also be over-ruling the professional judgement from the government’s principal military adviser and the holder of a senior statutory office. Would Campbell go along with that, or would he feel he should consider his position? </p>
<p>One interesting bit of speculation is whether the Governor-General, David Hurley, a former chief of the defence force himself, might offer the prime minister some informal counsel along the way.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/151075/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The revocation of citations for special forces units, in light of the Brereton inquiry, could land the government in hot waterMichelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1457032020-11-19T02:47:04Z2020-11-19T02:47:04ZAllegations of murder and ‘blooding’ in Brereton report now face many obstacles to prosecution<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/369735/original/file-20201117-17-17sow5c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=399%2C40%2C2034%2C2160&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Australian Department of Defence</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The long-awaited report into <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp2021/Quick_Guides/BreretonInquiry">allegations of war crimes</a> by Australia’s special forces in Afghanistan has finally been made public, after <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-reputation-of-australias-special-forces-is-beyond-repair-its-time-for-them-to-be-disbanded-148795">months of speculation</a> about the contents. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/evidence-of-war-crimes-found-against-25-australian-soldiers-in-afghanistan-150377">Evidence of war crimes found against 25 Australian soldiers in Afghanistan</a>
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<p>As expected, the report by Justice Paul Brereton is highly confronting and deeply concerning. However, despite widespread condemnation of the behaviour identified in the report — from the highest levels of the military and government — the next steps are far from straightforward. </p>
<h2>Unlawful killings</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://twitter.com/political_alert/status/1329228634800812033">report</a>, from the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF), found evidence of 23 incidents of alleged unlawful killing of 39 Afghan civilians by Australian special forces personnel. There are a further two incidents of “cruel treatment”. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="ADF chief Angus Campbell" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370228/original/file-20201119-23-ar45lc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370228/original/file-20201119-23-ar45lc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370228/original/file-20201119-23-ar45lc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370228/original/file-20201119-23-ar45lc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370228/original/file-20201119-23-ar45lc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370228/original/file-20201119-23-ar45lc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370228/original/file-20201119-23-ar45lc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">ADF chief Angus Campbell condemned the behaviour of Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mick Tsikas/AAP</span></span>
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<p>This involved a total of 25 current or former Australian Defence Force members who were perpetrators, either as principals or accessories.</p>
<p>Some of these incidents took place in 2009 and 2010, with the majority occurring in 2012 and 2013.</p>
<p>ADF Chief General Angus Campbell said he was shocked by the revelations, which he described as “damaging to our moral authority as a military force”.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I would never have conceived an Australian would be doing this in the modern era.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Blooding, throwdowns and executions</h2>
<p>The inquiry has found “credible information” that junior soldiers were required by their patrol commanders to shoot a prisoner, in order to achieve the soldier’s first kill, in a practice known as “blooding”.
“Throwdowns” — other weapons or radios — would be planted with the body, and a “cover story” was created. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>This was reinforced with a code of silence.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The report is damning about a “warrior culture” within the Special Air Service Regiment, as well as a “culture of secrecy”. </p>
<p>The inquiry has recommended the chief of the defence force refer 36 matters to the Australian Federal Police for criminal investigation. Those matters relate to the 23 incidents and involve a total of 19 individuals. </p>
<h2>Numerous obstacles to prosecutions</h2>
<p>However, last week, in preparation for the report’s release, Prime Minister Scott Morrison <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-12/prime-minister-update-defence-war-crimes-report/12875570">announced</a> a “special investigator” would be appointed to further examine any allegations of war crimes. </p>
<p>Campbell confirmed those who are alleged to be involved in unlawful criminal conduct will be referred to the special investigator.</p>
<p>After gathering evidence on specific allegations, the Office of the Special Investigator will refer briefs to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. Morrison <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/12/australian-war-crimes-in-afghanistan-once-the-brutal-details-are-revealed-what-happens-next">explained</a> such a task would “significantly overwhelm” the AFP, hence his decision to appoint a special investigator.</p>
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<img alt="Prime Minister Scott Morrison" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370231/original/file-20201119-20-bsan7r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370231/original/file-20201119-20-bsan7r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370231/original/file-20201119-20-bsan7r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370231/original/file-20201119-20-bsan7r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370231/original/file-20201119-20-bsan7r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370231/original/file-20201119-20-bsan7r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370231/original/file-20201119-20-bsan7r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned Australians the report would make tough reading.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Lukas Coch/AAP</span></span>
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<p>Despite these mechanisms being put in place, there are still serious questions about how potential criminal prosecutions would work. </p>
<p>Investigating and prosecuting alleged crimes of this nature is incredibly difficult due to the passage of time, fading memories and inconsistency of witnesses. There are also practical challenges obtaining evidence in a country with a fragile security situation. </p>
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<p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/its-time-for-australias-sas-to-stop-its-culture-of-cover-up-and-take-accountability-for-possible-war-crimes-142808">It's time for Australia's SAS to stop its culture of cover-up and take accountability for possible war crimes</a>
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<p>It is also important to note any statement or disclosure made by a witness to the IGADF inquiry cannot be used as evidence against that person in any subsequent civil or criminal trial or court martial. </p>
<p>This means some of the evidence contained in the IGADF inquiry — however compelling it might be — may not be available for a criminal prosecution, as the right to remain silent would be available to a person being interviewed by the Special Investigator.</p>
<p>Also, the standard of proof required to convict an individual “beyond a reasonable doubt” in a criminal trial is quite high, meaning any successful prosecution might require stronger evidence than what has been included in the IGADF inquiry. </p>
<p>Therefore, for any prosecution to proceed, any evidence obtained by the special investigator will need to be evaluated against this higher criminal standard to determine if it is sufficient for a person to stand trial. </p>
<p>It is important to note the same higher standard of proof (beyond reasonable doubt) will need to be met for a successful prosecution, regardless of whether any trial takes place by court martial or in a civilian court.</p>
<h2>Public perceptions of war crimes allegations</h2>
<p>The reaction of the Australian public to the report will be interesting to observe. As journalists have revealed the shocking details of many of the allegations against SAS soldiers in recent years, some have defended their actions as having taken place in the “fog of war”. </p>
<p>In his comments on Thursday, Campbell spoke plainly about the report’s findings. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>None of the alleged unlawful killings were described as being in the heat of battle […] The unlawful killing of citizens and prisoners is never acceptable.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Of course, it is important to recognise Australian soldiers faced significant difficulties in Afghanistan. Most notably, they were dealing with an enemy that was not easily identifiable and did not abide by the laws of war. </p>
<p>For instance, some Afghan civilians directly participated in conflict against Coalition soldiers. The so-called “farmer by day, fighter by night” has been a constant feature of operations in Afghanistan ever since Australians were first deployed there. </p>
<p>If <a href="https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/ihl/WebART/470-750065">civilians</a> directly participated in hostilities against foreign forces, regardless of whether they were armed or not, they would lose their protected status under the laws of war. The death of any civilian taking direct part in hostilities, therefore, would not necessarily be unlawful under the laws of war and Australian domestic law. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-is-lagging-on-climate-action-and-inequality-but-the-pandemic-offers-a-chance-to-do-better-149983">Australia is lagging on climate action and inequality, but the pandemic offers a chance to do better</a>
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<p>Understanding and applying this aspect of the laws of war is a potential complicating factor for the special investigator. </p>
<p>That said, as Campbell pointed out, the challenging circumstances faced by coalition forces in Afghanistan do not allow soldiers to commit war crimes. The laws of armed conflict are very clear in this regard.</p>
<h2>A transparent and open investigation process</h2>
<p>There was a clear need for these allegations to be properly investigated in an impartial manner. This has happened with the Brereton inquiry.</p>
<p>In appointing a special investigator, the government has shown it is taking these findings seriously and wants those soldiers who are proven guilty of crimes to be held accountable. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-how-australias-military-justice-system-works-80889">Explainer: how Australia's military justice system works</a>
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<p>The ADF must also be open and transparent about the actions it is taking following the completion of the IGADF inquiry. </p>
<p>By doing this, Australia’s military can show that it has learned from this sorry tale and made whatever changes are necessary to ensure compliance with the laws of armed conflict is understood and practised by every member of the ADF — regardless of the difficulty of the operating environment.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/145703/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David Letts does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>There is ‘credible information’ Australian soldiers were involved in war crimes. But investigating and prosecuting these will be incredibly difficult.David Letts, Director, Centre for Military and Security Law; Associate Professor, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1324542020-02-25T09:54:55Z2020-02-25T09:54:55ZInquiry probing 55 matters relating to special forces’ alleged misconduct in Afghanistan<p>The inquiry into allegations of misconduct by Australian special forces in Afghanistan is examining 55 separate incidents or issues, according to the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force report, tabled Tuesday.</p>
<p>These involve “predominantly” allegations of unlawful killings of non-combatants or those no longer combatants, the report says, but also allegations of cruelty.</p>
<p>The IGADF has been conducting the inquiry since 2016 “to determine whether there is any substance to rumours and allegations” that members of the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan may have breached the law during 2005-2016.</p>
<p>Originally ordered by then army chief Angus Campbell, the inquiry is led by Justice Paul Brereton, and so far has examined 338 witnesses. It is now “approaching the final stage of evidence-taking,” the report says, making it clear the inquiry is not a criminal investigations but an “administrative process”.</p>
<p>“At the end of the reporting period there were 55 separate incidents or issues under inquiry covering a range of alleged breaches of the Law of Armed Conflict, predominantly unlawful killings of persons who were non-combatants or were no longer combatants, but also ‘cruel treatment’ of such persons.</p>
<p>"The Inquiry is also examining incidents relevant to the organisational, operational and cultural environment which may have enabled the alleged Law of Armed Conflict breaches.”</p>
<p>The focus is not decisions made in the “heat of battle”, but “the treatment of persons who were clearly non-combatants or who were no longer combatants”.</p>
<p>The report stresses the difficulty of the inquiry, especially because its origin did not come from clear cut circumstances.</p>
<p>“The starting-point for the IGADF Afghanistan Inquiry - vague rumours of Special Forces soldiers’ very serious wrongdoing over a period of more than ten years - was much less well defined.</p>
<p>"The Inquiry team has had to find out what rumours there were, and then to try to track each rumour through multiple witnesses and documentary records back to its source.</p>
<p>"It has also taken some years for members of the Special Forces community - both those who continue to serve and former members - to develop sufficient confidence in the Inquiry and the genuineness of Defence senior leadership’s desire to find out if the rumours are true, to be prepared to make disclosures to the Inquiry.</p>
<p>"Gaining the confidence and trust of some of these witnesses, whose ADF careers have been spent in an environment in which secrecy is treated as fundamental, has required considerable effort and time.</p>
<p>"As this has been progressively achieved, more witnesses have been prepared to make disclosures, and new evidence has continued to emerge, some resulting in new lines of inquiry, and some reinforcing or corroborating existing lines of inquiry. During the reporting period and even now, some witnesses are only just becoming willing to make disclosures.”</p>
<p>The inquiry will report to Campbell, who is now Chief of the Defence Force. Apart from dealing with the allegations of misconduct the report will include “a review of the structural, operational, command and cultural environment in which these acts may have occurred.”</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/132454/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>On Tuesday, the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force tabled a report, detailing an inquiry into 55 separate incidents, dealing predominantly with the killing of “non-combatants”Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1232642019-10-07T19:13:36Z2019-10-07T19:13:36ZClimate change poses a ‘direct threat’ to Australia’s national security. It must be a political priority<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295742/original/file-20191007-121075-1ho1vl9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Climate change is expected to increase the severity of natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific region, straining Australia's ability to respond through humanitarian missions and fuelling more climate migration.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Vlad Sokhin/UNICEF handout</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>This is part of a new series looking at the national security challenges facing Australia, how our leaders are responding to them through legislation and how these measures are impacting society. Read the rest of the series <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/australias-security-state-77051">here</a>.</em></p>
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<p>It is evident from Australia’s increasingly severe droughts and record-breaking heatwaves that time is running out to take action on climate change. </p>
<p>Yet, despite persistent calls from eminent scientists to reduce global dependence on fossil fuels, a call to action has gone unanswered by our political leaders. </p>
<p>And we aren’t just facing an environmental threat alone in Australia – there are significant implications for our national security and defence capabilities that we haven’t fully reckoned with either.</p>
<p>This point was made abundantly clear in a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-25/australian-defence-force-angus-campbell-climate-change-speech/11543464">speech prepared for Defence Force Chief Angus Campbell</a> at an event in June, excerpts of which have been recently <a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/defence-chief-sounds-climate-warning-20190712-p526sl">published by the media</a>. It noted that Australia is in</p>
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<p>the most natural disaster-prone region in the world … [and] climate change is predicted to make disasters more extreme and more common.</p>
<p>If the predictions are correct, [climate change] will have serious ramifications for global security and serious ramifications for the ADF [Australian Defence Force].</p>
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<h2>What kinds of security risks do we face?</h2>
<p>Climate change works as a threat multiplier – it exacerbates the drivers of conflict by deepening existing fragilities within societies, straining weak institutions, reshaping power balances and undermining post-conflict recovery and peacebuilding.</p>
<p>This year’s <a href="https://www.iiss.org/publications/armed-conflict-survey">IISS Armed Conflict Survey</a> noted how </p>
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<p>climate-related drivers for armed violence and conflict will increase as climate change progresses. </p>
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<p>The survey points out that the 2011 uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that escalated into civil war was preceded by the country’s deepest and most prolonged drought on record. <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/112/11/3241">One study has found</a> the drought was two to three times more likely to happen due to climate change, and that it helped fuel migration to large cities, which in turn exacerbated the social issues that caused the unrest.</p>
<p>In May 2018, I was among numerous experts <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/exclusive-climate-change-warning-for-australia-s-military">who provided evidence</a> to a <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Foreign_Affairs_Defence_and_Trade/Nationalsecurity/Final%20Report/c02">Senate committee</a> examining the potential impacts of climate change on Australia’s national security.</p>
<h2>Increased climate migration and disasters</h2>
<p>One of the biggest threats I identified was the possibility of mass migration driven by climate change. </p>
<p>There will be <a href="https://population.un.org/wpp/Publications/Files/WPP2019_Highlights.pdf">nearly 6 billion people in the Asia-Pacific region by 2050</a>. And if the region has become increasingly destabilised due to climate change, many people will likely be affected by rising sea levels, water and food shortages, armed conflicts and natural disasters, and desperate to find more secure homes. </p>
<p>This is already happening now. Since 2008, it’s estimated that an average of <a href="https://nanseninitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/PROTECTION-AGENDA-VOLUME-1.pdf">22.5 million</a> to <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/06/20/621782275/the-refugees-that-the-world-barely-pays-attention-to">24 million</a> people have been displaced globally each year due to catastrophic weather events and climate-related disasters. </p>
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<a href="https://theconversation.com/us-military-strategists-warn-that-climate-is-a-catalyst-for-conflict-26744">US military strategists warn that climate is a 'catalyst for conflict'
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<p>And a <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2018/03/19/meet-the-human-faces-of-climate-migration">new World Bank report</a> estimates that 143 million people in three developing regions alone – sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America – could become climate migrants by 2050. </p>
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<p>They will migrate from less viable areas with lower water availability and crop
productivity and from areas affected by rising sea level and storm surges. The poorest and most climate-vulnerable areas will be hardest hit. </p>
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<p>Australia, with its very low population density, will likely be an attractive place for climate migrants to attempt to resettle. The World Bank <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/08/australia-and-nz-should-allow-open-migration-for-pacific-islanders-threatened-by-climate-says-report">has called on Australia</a> to allow open migration from climate-affected Pacific islands, but successive governments <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/16/australias-orwellian-anti-refugee-system-hints-at-whats-to-come-for-climate-refugees">haven’t exactly been open to refugees and asylum seekers</a> in recent years.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/refuge-city-a-new-kind-of-city-for-our-times-106992">Refuge City, a new kind of city for our times</a>
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<p>If we don’t have a plan in place, <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/why-australia-needs-to-get-real-on-population-growth-20131130-ij9ym">our estimated 2050 population of 37.6 million</a> could be overwhelmed by the scale of the national security problem.</p>
<p>Other experts agreed. American climate security expert <a href="https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/sherri-goodman">Sherri Goodman</a> described climate change as a “direct threat to the national security of Australia”, saying the region is</p>
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<p>most likely to see increasing waves of migration from small island states or storm-affected, highly populated areas in Asia that can’t accommodate people when a very strong storm hits.</p>
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<p>Australia would also struggle to respond to worsening natural disasters in our region either caused by or exacerbated by climate change. </p>
<p>As part of the Senate inquiry, the Department of Defence noted an “upwards trend” in both disaster-related events in the Asia-Pacific region and disaster-related defence operations in the past 20 years. </p>
<p>As <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-25/australian-defence-force-angus-campbell-climate-change-speech/11543464">alluded to in the speech</a> prepared for Campbell in June, we could easily find ourselves overwhelmed by disaster relief missions
due to the severity and scale of future weather events, or due to a series of events that occur concurrently in dispersed locations. </p>
<p>This would stretch our available first responder forces – defence, police, ambulance, firefighters and other emergency services – even in the absence of any other higher priority peacekeeping missions around the world. </p>
<h2>Recommendations for a way forward</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Foreign_Affairs_Defence_and_Trade/Nationalsecurity/Final%20Report/c06">Senate report listed 11 recommendations</a> for action by national security agencies and the government. </p>
<p>Among these were calls for:</p>
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<li><p>the government to develop a climate security white paper to guide a coordinated government response to climate change risks</p></li>
<li><p>the Department of Defence to consider releasing an unclassified version of the work it has undertaken already to identify climate risks to the country</p></li>
<li><p>the government to consider a dedicated climate security leadership position in Home Affairs to coordinate climate resilience issues</p></li>
<li><p>and the Department of Defence to create a dedicated senior leadership position to oversee the delivery of domestic and international humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as climate pressures increase over time. </p></li>
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<p>Some of these findings were contested. In their comments, the Coalition senators made a point of saying how well the government has been doing on climate change in the defence and foreign affairs portfolios. Sufficient strategies are in place</p>
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<p>to ensure Australia’s response to the implications of climate change on national security is well understood and consistent across the whole of government.</p>
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<p>They also considered that a separate recommendation on defence emissions reduction targets fell outside the spirit of the inquiry. They did not support it.</p>
<h2>A lack of urgency and response</h2>
<p>The findings in the report are a cause for concern. The recommendations lack timetables for action and a sense of urgency. </p>
<p>The Senate committee also admitted its own shortcomings. For instance, it couldn’t adequately examine the potential impacts of climate change on Australia’s economy, infrastructure and community health and well-being due to a lack of substantial evidence on these issues.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/senate-report-climate-change-is-a-clear-and-present-danger-to-australias-security-96797">Senate report: climate change is a clear and present danger to Australia's security</a>
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<p>Furthermore, and most worryingly, it seems the government just doesn’t care enough. It has yet to table a response to the report more than a year later. </p>
<p>A welcome development would be if the government announced a climate change security white paper that clearly spells out where ministers stand on the issue and the specific measures we need to take to prepare for the threats ahead. It would also dispel the concerns of many Australians about our future readiness. </p>
<p>But the Coalition’s response to the Senate report is breathtakingly complacent and smacks of reckless negligence since Australia is on the front line when it comes to climate change and our national security faces undeniably serious risks.</p>
<p>Climate change is already presenting significant challenges to governance, our institutions and the fabric of our societies. It’s time we recognise the potential threats to security in our region, as well.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/123264/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Chris Barrie is affiliated with the Global Military Advisory Council on Climate Change</span></em></p>A Senate report recommended several measures the government should take to prepare for climate-fuelled migration, natural disasters and conflicts. The response so far has been underwhelming.Chris Barrie, Honorary Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/950532018-04-25T19:14:16Z2018-04-25T19:14:16ZAs a new defence chief comes in, Australia must focus its attention on its neighbours<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/215870/original/file-20180423-75126-t0obxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The incoming head of the Australian Defence Force, Lt-Gen Angus Campbell (left), understands the importance of Australia's relations with its nearest neighbours.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">AAP/Andrew Taylor</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>On Anzac Day, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull commemorated the centenary of the battle at Villers-Brettoneux, where Australian soldiers defended against the German spring offensive of 1918. The <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/australia-s-100m-monash-centre-opens">opening of the Sir John Monash Centre</a> honoured the <a href="https://johnmonash.com/john-monash">celebrated commander</a> of the Australian Corps in France at the tail end of the first world war. </p>
<p>So you would be forgiven if it appeared the Australian Defence Force was still orientated towards all things European. Indeed, in recent times, Australian forces have fought alongside many of those with whom we will commemorate the events at the Monash centre. France, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, among others, have been close partners in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq for the past two decades.</p>
<p>But the geostrategic context Australia faces in 2018 has changed markedly since 1918, let alone 2001, when Australian forces were committed into action in Afghanistan in the so-called <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/iraq-and-the-global-war-on-terrorism/">global war on terror</a>.</p>
<p>Australia increasingly is having to engage closely not just with close and trusted partners but with its own neighbours.</p>
<h2>A new defence chief, major challenges</h2>
<p>The current Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Angus Campbell <a href="https://theconversation.com/angus-campbell-to-head-australian-defence-force-95058">was announced</a> last week as the next Chief of Defence Force. Campbell has vast experience in military operations, including as a commander with the United Nations in East Timor and commander of Australian forces on operations in the Middle East.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/media-reporting-on-women-in-the-military-is-preserving-a-male-dominated-culture-94499">Media reporting on women in the military is preserving a male dominated culture</a>
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<p>His time as the senior officer running <a href="http://osb.homeaffairs.gov.au/">Operation Sovereign Borders</a> earned him some controversy for efficiently and effectively implementing the government’s “stop the boats” policy.</p>
<p>But the experience helped reinforce to him the significance of Australia’s relations with its immediate neighbours, most notably Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Campbell understands that operations far away tend to be ones of choice, while those closer to shore potentially present greater challenges for the nation. </p>
<h2>The challenges ahead</h2>
<p>Later this year, the ADF will assist with the APEC Forum in Port Moresby. Elements of the army, navy and air force will be assigned to provide critical security and other support for the smooth running of the forum, and to counter any potential crisis.</p>
<p>Beyond that, the <a href="http://www.defence.gov.au/ADC/Publications/documents/IndoPac/2015/Woodbury_jan15.pdf">Bougainville referendum</a> is expected to be held in 2019. This was a date set 20 years ago, picked as a means to defuse tensions and postpone the inevitable question of autonomy or independence for the people of Bougainville. It is a particularly sensitive issue for Papua New Guinea, and managing bilateral relations over this could prove problematic. </p>
<p>In the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia, concerns about regional terrorist initiatives and a possible repeat of the circumstances that led to the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-23/philippines-troops-find-dozens-dead-as-warawi-siege-ends/9077096">battle of Marawi</a> have prompted the ADF to look to engage more closely with counterparts in the armed forces of Australia’s neighbours.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.defence.gov.au/annualreports/15-16/Features/20-DefenceCooperation.asp">Defence Cooperation Program</a> activities are on the increase. These include partner exercises, training programs, ship visits, exchanges and various educational and training forums.</p>
<p>Across the Pacific, the prospect of human-generated or other environmental crises or disasters will continue to demand close attention from the ADF and Australian aid agencies.</p>
<p>Beyond such environmental challenges, the prospect of increased power contestation is focusing the minds of security policymakers on the importance of bolstering ties in places like Vanuatu, Tonga and Fiji. Partly in response, the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-12/australia-donates-patrol-boats-to-pacific-islands/8800886">Pacific patrol boat program</a> is being revamped. Australia is supplying a fleet of new patrol boats with associated training, logistics and other related support included.</p>
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<a href="https://theconversation.com/angus-campbell-to-head-australian-defence-force-95058">Angus Campbell to head Australian Defence Force</a>
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<p>The “Pacific Quad” also is emerging as a significant and growing force. This grouping includes French forces in New Caledonia, working on occasion alongside US, New Zealand and Australian forces, in anticipation of growing environmental and other security challenges where cooperation will be vital.</p>
<p>Another <a href="http://perthusasia.edu.au/the-quad-security-cooperation">“Quad”</a>, involving Australia, the United States, Japan and India, will likely attract attention as well. It may emerge as a significant body in shaping how to respond to the dramatic, rapid and unprecedented build-up of Chinese military force projection capabilities. This build-up includes modernised and expanded navies, air forces and human-constructed islands.</p>
<p>The spectrum of non-traditional and conventional security concerns in and around the Indo-Pacific suggests Campbell’s focus will be on managing relations with counterparts in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. At the same time, Australia’s legacy of involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan means that an enduring but carefully calibrated military footprint can be expected in both those countries.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, key challenges will revolve around managing security concerns in Papua New Guinea, terrorism-related concerns in Southeast Asia, a potential unravelling on the Korean Peninsula and contestation in the East and South China Seas. There will also be the seasonal, expected, but still devastating natural disasters in the Pacific.</p>
<p>With so much of concern nearby, a substantial military commitment alongside allies in Syria is unlikely. A peacekeeping force contribution is possible, though, if a political solution is ever reached.</p>
<p>Ties with the United States can be expected to remain wide, deep, intimate, strong and enduring. Indeed, while not willing to say so publicly, most of Australia’s neighbours remain uneasy about China’s military assertiveness and look to Australia to remain closely engaged with the United States.</p>
<p>Despite the tweets emanating from the White House, insiders in Canberra see a significant and enduring overlap of interests and concerns with Washington. That is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future, and Angus Campbell knows this well.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/95053/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Blaxland received funding from the Minerva Research Initiative (US Dept of Defence) which funded research on views of the great powers in Southeast Asia</span></em></p>The incoming Chief of the Defence Force, Angus Campbell, will need to focus his attentions on an array of conventional and non-conventional security concerns in the Indo-Pacific.John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.