List of recommendations
Recommendation 1
2.138The committee recommends that the Australian Government take steps to increase the transparency of the Defence honours and awards nomination process, particularly by preserving the text of original recommendations and ensuring subsequent commentary and qualifying statements sit alongside this original text, with authorship disclosed, such that the full documented history is visible to the Honours Board.
Recommendation 2
2.139The committee recommends that the Australian Government give consideration to formalising the provision of updates at relevant milestones in the nomination process. These updates should be provided to the original nominator and nominating chain of command on the content, status and outcome of a nomination.
Recommendation 3
2.142The committee recommends that the Australian Government provide guidance on the specific criteria for Defence honours and awards and make this guidance publicly available. In particular, the committee recommends that clarity be publicly provided on the definition of the terms ‘in action’ and ‘in warlike operations’ in relation to Distinguished Service Decorations, so the eligibility is clear.
Recommendation 4
2.144The committee recommends that the Australian Government consider the establishment of an end of war list to review the Defence honours and awards nominations for conflicts since the Vietnam War, and for future conflicts.
Recommendation 5
3.63The committee recommends that the Australian Government considers how to implement the recommendations from the 2021 Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal inquiry report ‘Recognising their sacrifice’ to create new forms of medallic and emblematic recognition for current and former Australian Defence Force members and their families who are injured, wounded or killed in, or as a result of, their service.
Recommendation 6
3.67The committee recommends that the Australian Government instructs the Department of Defence to work alongside the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal to undertake a review of Part VIIIC of the Defence Act 1903 to improve the tribunal’s review and inquiry functions, while ensuring that the tribunal’s operational independence is maintained.