Process before Punishment: Too Early to Strip Medals
Two weeks on from revelations that the Minister for Defence Richard Marles instructed the Chief of the Defence Force to initiate stripping military officers of their medals for their service in Afghanistan, veterans are still hurting.
I’m being inundated with the same questions. If those at the command level are being asked to justify why they shouldn’t lose their decorations, how far up (and down) the chain will it go? If no one’s been charged or convicted, why is this happening?
Peter Dutton is right – the allegations of war crimes perpetrated by members of the Australian Defence Force remain just that – allegations. They have not been tested in a court of law. The Office of the Special Investigator has not even concluded its investigations. If it’s just an attack on our diggers, we will fight it tooth and nail.
In the absence of a fair and just judicial process, any action to strip decorations of any member of the ADF in this case is premature and prejudicial. It goes against the key tenet of the presumption of innocence.
I have been contacted by many who believe this should not be happening, at least until investigations and potential court cases have run their course. As an Afghanistan veteran who has seen combat, I am disgusted by the actions of this Defence Minister.
The Defence Minister should order the CDF to stop all processes to remove these decorations and stop treating our nation’s bravest with disdain and contempt.
If tried and convicted – individuals should absolutely be punished. But we cannot put up unnecessary roadblocks and put the punishment before due process.
Leadership starts at the top.
ENDS