The record of abuse in the Australia Defence Force (ADF) dates back to before 1976 when the tri-services (Army, Navy and Air Force) were unified. Indeed, the record of abuse is historically chronic and dates back to the formation of the Royal Military College for training Army officers at Duntroon from 1911. Moreso, the abuse culture was inculcated upon the second intake of new cadets in 1912, whereby the then older boy ‘senior’ cadets of the 1911 intake took it upon themselves to bully the new recruits, and so perpetuated the inter-year cadet culture of ‘hazing’ which became known as ‘bastardisation’.
This is briefly documented in various few pages in Chris Clark’s 1986 historical documentary non-fiction book of Duntroon as well as in a dedicated Chapter 20 in Darren Moore’s 2001 historical documentary nonfiction book also on Duntroon. Respectively both authors were RMC graduates, Clark in 1972, and Moore in 1991.
Both books are recommended reading for those interested in Australia’s the Royal Military College Duntroon and its history, as well as background reading for those interested in the record of abuse in the ADF, specially in the Australian Army’s officer training at this institution.
We are to reproduce selected extracts of both books that briefly and anecdotally cover Duntroon’s historical abuse culture – which remains unchecked by Army brass (command) and so remains disturbingly ongoing. To what end? Another Hoddle Street when in some junior recruit their negative leadership picks on the wrong strength of character? If nothing changes, Duntroon could be the next Fort Hood, and not for ideological excuses, but violent vengeance by incoming freshmen abused.
Around 2014, a website was created entitled https://www.adfabuse.com/. We surmise that it was created by a lady called Jennifer Jacomb, since that was the contact email address for media on the website and on one of the posted media videos about Abuse in Defence.
By 2019, five years later, the content adding seemed to have dried up. Yet five years running active was a good stint. Many accounts of Defence abuse have been documented on the website.
The initial home started off sadly stating this:
“I was a victim of two and a half years of Torture and Abuse at the Royal Australian Naval College between 1983 and 1985.
It has scarred me ever since.
The purpose of this website is to:-
➢Provide aid and Support To Victims Of Torture and Abuse In The Australian Defence Force
➢Educate the Australian Electorate and people on:-
➢ The True nature of Torture and Abuse in the Australian Defence Force.
➢ How the abuse is being extended to innocent civilians
➢ How the abuse is weakening our Defence Force
➢ The true cost of the Torture and abuse to Australia.
➢ Recommend solutions to prevent this torture and abuse.
➢Encourage debate amongst Australian Electors and seek change.
➢Allow victims to share their stories.
➢Recognise those supporting the Victims.
➢ Address the flaws in the Defence Abuse Response Task Force and the Reparation Scheme.
The Torture and Abuse in the Australian Defence Force has:-
✖ Created Damaged and Shattered Lives
✖ Mass Murderers like Julian Knight and the Hoddle Street Massacre
✖ Been extending itself to the civilian community.
It must stop.
Hence this website.
If we don’t band together, this latest inquiry will be just another whitewash, just like the first Voyager Royal Commission.”
JulianKnight.com.au Brotherhood:
We too encourage victims of ADF Abuse to indeed “band together”. Here on this website, we with Julian Knight take up the ADF Abuse exposure baton, in respect to Jennifer’s outspoken bravery by going public with this commendable database; also out of the respect and sadness of the many victims and their families and friends, and including republishing most of the content of https://www.adfabuse.com/, and updating the record beyond that website’s last post of 2019 – (pun intended).
We comment that whilst the politicians of the day may consider compensating abuse victims that many years/decades hence that a gesture of token financial compensation ($5,000 to $50,000) for some victims dipping into taxpayer consolidate revenue is making amends. It is not. The moral test is how much is enough rape compensation? $50,000 to utterly destroy a life and drive suicide?
25 years incarceration for rape is the currently maximum penalty. Make it the mandatory minimum, starting with public servants, including in the ADF. Complicity by relevant leadership nee also to be held to account and if guilty, charged with found in charge need also be court martialled. Additionally, sufficient financial compensation to the victim? Well, what is the price of a human life? Life insurance sets around $1,500,000. Mandatory government 100% funded life-time trauma counselling to the victims might make politicians grow up a tad.
The perpetrators of abuse need to be investigated, held to account and convicted a serious criminals with custodial sentence of at least 12 months, so it stains their life. The ADF leadership needs a similar holistic investigation and overhaul of culture. It is incumbent on the Parliament of Australia to take a moral stand to the welfare of its citizens who join up in good faith to serve Australia in the ADF, that it enacts comprehensive legislation Australia-wide, with application to all ADF overseas postings of its personnel, to overhaul the antiquated Defence Force Discipline 1982 to set superior contemporary Australian social and moral standards throughout the ADF, to enact a First World leading framework of independent oversight into any abuse in the ADF with due enforcement by a new specialist federal court – a Public Service Standards Criminal Court, having fully powers of criminal incarceration of those found guilty of breaching the new superior laws.
A Royal Commission into ADF Abuse will be a good start, but only with terms of reference that the finding are mandatorily prosecuted by the Federal Court of Australia, not a political temporary farce that was DART, nor a poorly chartered and under-resourced political football that is DFO. In criminal law and criminal prosecution, the political QANGO that is DFO, was set up to avoid the proper judicial process, with more political posturing like ‘Sorry Day’ than criminal convictions nor any sign of behaviour change of accountability any time soon. DFO, like DART, has no legal teeth nor commitment so must be wound up ASAP as a costly waste of space. This in 2024 and has still has not happen due to lack of political will.
The only current (2025) politicians in Canberra whom have graduated from Duntroon are Andrew Wilkie and Andrew Hastie. Neither are part of the mainstream mob in power.
Do not join the ADF! There are many more sensible and safer alternative choices to achieve a satisfying leadership career.
Until brass changes its spots…
Further Reading and References:
Victims of Institutional Criminal Abuse in the Australian Defence Force
2011-2013: Review into the Treatment of Women in the Australian Defence Force