The military sociologist whose work triggered the explosive Brereton war crimes inquiry says a campaign of vitriol against her in recent weeks has been “awful” and is taking a toll on her personally. Meanwhile the defence minister, Peter Dutton, has declared he does not want further contracts for “cultural change”, the type of work Crompvoets conducts, handed out by the department. The defence hierarchy had already placed its faith in her ability to handle sensitive material, through her early work prior to the Brereton inquiry. Dutton has overturned a number of key decisions related to the war crimes inquiry since inheriting the portfolio. Dutton addressed the same Aspi conference on Thursday, saying that his government was “not going to be mired” in the Brereton inquiry.

Source: The Guardian June 13, 2021 17:26 UTC