A Royal Australian Navy member has been stood down with pay after allegedly planting a recording device in a female-only area aboard HMAS Leeuwin.
The update comes as Defence continues its investigation into an alleged act senior figures have condemned as a grave betrayal of trust.
The device was found in a women’s bathroom on the ship while it was docked in Cairns on October 11, triggering a military investigation that quickly identified a person of interest by October 15.
Chief of navy Vice Admiral Matthew Buckley confirmed on Monday that the member had now been removed from duties, while remaining on pay during the inquiry, which he described as “normal convention” in such cases.
He indicated investigators had not uncovered any evidence that footage from the device had been shared online, easing one of the immediate fears raised after the discovery.
“I can’t go into any specific details about the investigation, but I’ve seen no evidence of any sharing of that information,” Vice Admiral Buckley said.
“As I said, the investigation is ongoing, and it’s important that we don’t compromise that, such that we can take the appropriate actions needed.”
The alleged incident has sparked strong condemnation from the highest levels of Defence, with Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy describing the conduct as “reprehensible”.
“(It) undermined the dignity and privacy of Royal Australian Navy personnel. It was completely unacceptable, and it has no place in the modern Australian Defence Force,” he said.
The inquiry is being led by the Joint Military Police Unit and Defence, with assistance from the Australian Federal Police.
In the wake of the discovery, the navy carried out an audit across its fleet and found no other recording devices on board its ships.
In an earlier message to personnel, Vice Admiral Buckley made clear the seriousness with which the matter was being treated, telling sailors the vessel’s schedule had been changed to allow investigators to move swiftly.
“I consider this a most serious matter, and accordingly, the ship’s program has been altered to enable a rapid and rigorous investigation by the Joint Military Policing Unit,” Vice Admiral Buckley said.
He also stressed that support was being provided to any personnel who may have been affected, describing their welfare as his top priority.
“To provide assurance to all personnel, Fleet Commander is undertaking a 100 per cent audit of all of our bathrooms across the fleet,” he said.
Vice Admiral Buckley also framed the alleged act as a direct attack on the trust that underpins life at sea.
“This act is the most despicable betrayal of trust and is fundamentally misaligned with our values. We will not, however, be defined by acts of this nature,”
“Our navy is one where highly professional warfighters must rely day in day out on their shipmates. Anything that undermines the trust and respect we need for one another will not be tolerated.”
He told personnel Defence would “tackle this act of sexual violence with all of our energy”.
“Any perpetrator will be held to account.”