Australian government misses compensation deadline for victims of alleged war crimes

The Australian government has missed a deadline to decide on compensation for victims of alleged war crimes in Afghanistan, potentially leaving the thorny issue to be sorted out after the election.

But the Department of Defence confirmed this week the work was not finished. A spokesperson said the department was still consulting with a range of government agencies regarding the compensation recommendations.

It is understood there is no new indicative deadline, meaning it is possible this could be left for a government decision after the election.

Caretaker conventions discourage major policy decisions during the campaign unless the opposition is consulted.

The Australian government created an Afghanistan Inquiry Implementation Oversight Panel to ensure lasting cultural reforms within the ADF.

The then defence minister, Linda Reynolds, said she would get an official report every three months from the panel, led by former Inspector General of Intelligence and Security, Vivienne Thom.

However, a search of Hansard since early 2021 shows the panel has been mentioned twice in passing in Senate estimates hearings. That included when Marise Payne, then the acting defence minister, advised a hearing in March 2021 that she had met with the panel chaired by Thom.

The parliamentary record indicates Dutton addressed the lower house several times about the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the subsequent evacuation operations, but not about progress on the reform plans.

Labor voiced support for that decision by Dutton, but maintained that the Coalition had failed to show leadership and transparency.

Defence said it had so far taken action to close 101 of the 143 inquiry recommendations.

But action to hold individual military commanders accountable for cultural failings is being delayed to avoid affecting the ongoing work of the Office of the Special Investigator.