Defence cites privacy to avoid shaming

Defence chiefs insist privacy laws are a barrier to its military newspapers publishing the names of personnel punished for wrongdoing.

The Director of Military Prosecutions in August warned it was a "missed opportunity" for service newspapers to obscure incidents and not report names.

Naming and shaming would help denounce such conduct as well as encourage victims to come forward, the director said.

By contrast civilian newspapers openly printed names when they covered military trials.

So too does the US military newspaper Stars and Stripes.

Defence force vice-chief Ray Griggs, appearing before a Senate committee in Canberra on Wednesday, said there would be no changes to existing procedures.

"Our view is that we've got the balance right," he said, adding Defence was a "little cautious" in staying within the Privacy Act.

"None of us want to downplay the consequences of unacceptable behaviour."