The Anzac spirit is one of tenacity, bravery and triumph against the odds. It also emphasises a fair go, honesty and common decency.
The modern Australian Defence Force is the rightful heir to this proud heritage. But unless the ADF openly addresses its flaws, far more than its hard-earned reputation is at stake.
The ADF and the Australian government have systematically tried to avoid Australia’s obligations under the Geneva Conventions and international law in Iraq and Afghanistan.
These revelations, published this week by the Herald and broadcast by the ABC, come from a six-year investigation by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, using freedom-of-information laws to find out how the ADF detains and treats people it captures in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Some of the results are shocking. The documents do not show individual Australian soldiers have committed atrocities. Instead, they show something more insidious.