The ADF Has Yet to Discipline Those Behind Gay Hate Campaign
A homophobic Facebook group has been found trying to “out” Australia’s gay military personnel.
At least 80 people from the Australian Defence Force were signed up to the page, which claimed to inform which colleagues are “biting the pillow.”
The group – which called homosexuality a “filthy lifestyle decision” –went on to say: “It is your right to know who is biting the pillow. If you know any more bum bandits getting around in the ADF, shoot me an email.”
The page, which has since been taken down, was also said to have links to violent, anti-gay videos on YouTube.
According to Australia’s Star Observer newspaper, one of those “outed” by the Facebook page has already received a death threat in his work email, as well as a threatening note delivered to his house as a result.
The Australian Defence Force has allowed gay servicemen and women to openly serve in its ranks since the 1990s.
Complaints about anti-gay Facebook pages were received by the ADF in August 2010, but no action has been taken against members behind the page’s creation, a page that was created to expose and intimidate gay personnel.
Fairfax Newspapers, however, report that the investigation into the page and the dozens of personnel who signed on as “friends” has been shelved and no one has been punished.
The report comes as sources close to Defense Minister Stephen Smith told The Daily Telegraph that his office had received numerous threatening and abusive calls and emails over his handling of a female cadet who was broadcast having sex with another cadet. The military has rebuffed claims it has not acted over the gay-hate site.
A key whistle-blower had also been warned to “pull his head in” as military supporters launch a rear-guard action against inquiries into the forces.
Federal police have been called and will investigate whether some of the calls were made by serving Defence members.
Mr. Smith’s office has also fielded dozens
of calls and emails from people who have been damaged by their military service.
A barrister who was sexually assaulted with a broom handle and bashed by senior cadets at the Australian Defence Force Academy, including several who are now senior military officers, told the Telegraph that he had received a threatening phone call on Monday evening.
The caller asked for him by name and then said he had a message for him. “Tell him to pull his head in. He is making himself very unpopular,” the caller said.
The barrister said he was not intimidated by the phone call. He has received no contact from Defence, despite a sworn statement from a witness to his assault that was received by the military in November, 2008.
A former soldier, Oliver Thomas, from Wollongong, has come forward after he read about the barrister’s treatment. He said he was hounded out on a trumped-up charge after he complained about racism.
“The first thing I was told at Singleton army base was, ‘If you get a chance to kill an African, do it, because it is the best feeling you will ever have’,” he said.
Dozens of soldiers reportedly signed onto the Facebook pages that targeted five ADF personnel for their “filthy lifestyle decision”.
“This matter is still the subject of on-going investigation and it is inappropriate to comment further at this time,” an ADF spokesman said.
He told The Australian Online the ADF had a clear policy about “equity and diversity”.
“If there is a breach of these policies resulting in unacceptable behavior, Defence has in place clear policies for handling such breaches,” the spokesman said.
The material on the Facebook page was “contrary to everything that the Australian Defence Force stands for and has achieved in welcoming and supporting diversity across the organization”.
The spokesman did not say whether any Defence Force member connected with the homophobic pages had been punished.
Photo:U.S. Defense Minister, Stephen Smith