The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has been accused of failing to discipline soldiers who were involved in an online hate campaign against their gay colleagues.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that eight months after complaints were received about the Facebook group, an investigation has been shelved and no one involved has been disciplined.
More than 80 soldiers were named on the Facebook group, which claimed “It is your right to know who is biting the pillow.”
The group called homosexuality a “filthy lifestyle” and urged Facebook users to name “bum bandits”.
It was closed last year but reports say the ADF did nothing to discipline the dozens of troops who were reportedly involved.
The Herald said that the investigation apparently stalled because of inadequate resources, with no one assigned to the task at various stages in the last eight months.
A Defence spokeswoman said the matter ”is still the subject of ongoing investigation”.
”The attitudes and behaviours described are contrary to everything that the Australian Defence Force stands for and has achieved in welcoming and supporting diversity across the organisation.” she added.
One of those named in the online campaign, Major Paul Morgan, an army psychologist who has served in Iraq, told the newspaper: “I have sacrificed my whole adult life to the army and the inaction in this case is soul-destroying.”
His friends said he had received death threats and intimidation since the campaign was reported to the ADF.
The ADF has allowed openly gay and lesbian soldiers since 1992.
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