Transcript

COMPERE: More trouble today for the Army's elite 3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment. Officers of the parachute battalion are already facing charges over intimidation. Now former paratroopers have been identified having neo-Nazi links.

John Stewart reports.

JOHN STEWART: There are no clear rules governing what political or religious beliefs a soldier can or cannot express. Under Army regulations soldiers are prevented from attending political meetings in uniform, but when it comes to expressing individual political views out of uniform soldiers have the same rights as civilians.

The latest controversy involving soldiers from 3RAR involves members of the battalion on a website devoted to the right wing rock band called 'Blood Oath'.

A photograph is today's Australian newspaper shows the soldiers offering a Nazi salute.

Labor MP, Roger Price, is deputy chair of a parliamentary committee investigating allegations of bastardisation and violence within 3RAR.

ROGER PRICE: Firstly, let me say - I mean soldiers have a wide-ranging views and they ought to be encouraged. Certainly on base, though, they're apolitical.

JOHN STEWART: Is it difficult when soldiers are off base and out of uniform, in terms of their - are there rules about their behaviour? Or what political views they can or cannot express?

ROGER PRICE: Well, I mean generally speaking like any member of an organisation, and particularly for the Armed Services, they shouldn't bring the Armed Services into disrepute.

JOHN STEWART: Are you surprised by this photograph?

ROGER PRICE: Oh, look surprised, shocked, caught, you know, really left-footed to be honest. I can't imagine how we can have an elite Army unit whose with some members whose hero is Adolf Hitler. I mean it's just amazing.

JOHN STEWART: Is it difficult to formulate recommendations about where the Army should draw the line in terms of what political views a soldier can or cannot express?

ROGER PRICE: Oh, I think the idea that there is a significant penetration of an Army unit by extreme right influences would disturb quite a number of people.

JOHN STEWART: Is there also an issue with privacy in terms of what a soldier can or cannot do outside of the Army?

ROGER PRICE: Oh, well, I think it's a - like most things, it's a fine balance. But, look, we don't want political Armies or Navies or Air Forces. We don't have commissars. But, by the same token, we don't expect any units to be significantly penetrated by far right, you know, ideology.

COMPERE: Labor MP Roger Price.