James Connor, Author at Crikey

‘Didn’t care enough’: Here’s what the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide found

James Connor — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 05:51:33 +0000

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs appears to be taking this royal commission seriously. The same cannot be said for the defence force.

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A landmark report on defence and veteran suicide is imminent. Here’s what it must do

James Connor — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 00:57:59 +0000

This report has to be the one that finally changes defence in this country.

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‘The second betrayal’: abuse by ADF brass triggers defence and veteran suicides

James Connor — Sun, 28 Nov 2021 22:49:51 +0000

When victims of abuse in the Defence Forces speak up, officers and NCOs ensure they are treated like 'rats': isolated, bullied and powerless.

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Lamenting ‘toxic culture’ doesn’t change the fact that the SAS got away with murder

James Connor — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 00:03:22 +0000

A toxic culture is an easy target, but culture does not exist as something separate; culture is what the soldiers and officers of the special forces did every day.

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Officers escape legal responsibility, but what about their moral accountability?

James Connor — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 23:43:10 +0000

Officers in command of special forces in Afghanistan either turned a blind eye to bad behaviour or genuinely didn't know about it. Either way, it's unacceptable.

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It’s not just special forces — the entire military has to change

James Connor — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 00:04:26 +0000

The ADF has a culture problem that, in its worst manifestation, leads to abuse and war crimes. But when that problem is tacitly approved by command, how can it be fixed?

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Military wrongdoing is nothing new. The question is, will the coming storm wash anything away?

James Connor — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 23:26:00 +0000

The coming report into war crimes in Afghanistan won't be the first time the Australian Defence Force has been accused of wrongdoing.

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It’s not just Russia — there are doping cheats everywhere

James Connor — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 00:42:14 +0000

Despite recent bans around the world, the only certainty is that sports doping will continue, international bodies will be ineffective and the athletes who try to follow the rules will lose.

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