Update on investigations into alleged misconduct in HMAS Success

5 February 2010

Recent media reporting surrounding the status of investigations into alleged misconduct in HMAS Success is misleading and inaccurate.

Navy and ADF authorities continue to conduct enquiries into this matter and actions associated with administrative inquiries are not yet complete.

Navy is fully committed to meeting its procedural fairness and privacy obligations to ALL our personnel involved. This includes officials undertaking inquiries and investigations, those individuals against whom allegations have been made, individuals who have contributed through providing evidence and the people who have made the allegations. At no stage have we publicly identified personnel involved, or the nature of any allegation that has been made - this is absolutely in accordance with both civilian law and Defence policy guidelines.

I ask all concerned not to pre-judge the outcome until due process has been followed.

R.H. Crane, AM, CSM
Vice Admiral, RAN
Chief of Navy

5 February 2010