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Lambie accuses ADF of covering up torture, abuse

AAP

AAP

Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie has made damming accusations that Australian Defence Force (ADF) high ranking officials were involved in abuse cover-ups, involving outlawed “torture techniques” and “sexual assault”.

Ms Lambie launched the blistering attack under parliamentary privilege in the Senate adjournment debate on Tuesday night, claiming SAS trooper Evan Donaldson had his identity illegally changed and was injured during secret training drills run by the the Defence Intelligence Organisation using banned torture techniques.

She called on Australian of the Year David Morrison, who was the chief of the Australian Army, to resign for his alleged involvement in the cover-up.

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Trooper Donaldson and former army officer Marcus Saltmarsh watched on from the public gallery as Ms Lambie made the serious allegations.

“During resistance to an interrogation exercise Evan was bashed, bound, bagged, blind-folded and stripped naked, placed in stress positions and deprived of sleep and food for 96 hours – and during that time he was sexually assaulted and left bleeding,” Ms Lambie told the chamber.

“The cover up in this matter has been at a very high level, spectacular and absolutely deliberate.”

Ms Lambie also said Mr Saltmarsh was the “subject of extraordinary abuse of office by senior members of the Australian Army” following an incident in East Timor in 2000, when his rifle independently discharged killing his best mate Corporal Stewart Jones.

“The worst example of abuse was when the Australian military … sent to Mr Saltmarsh 28 autopsy photos of his best mate undergoing post-mortem medical procedures,” she said.

Ms Lambie called on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to investigate the allegations.

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