Women set to take on front-line combat roles

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Australian women seem set to fight in combat forces after a decision earlier this year to accelerate their access to front-line units.

A recommendation to end most restrictions on female combat roles is expected to be handed to the Cabinet soon, backed by Defence Minister Stephen Smith, Opposition leader Tony Abbott and senior military commanders.

The move would allow women into infantry, armoured and other similar units, although it appears likely at this stage to exclude them from special forces, including the SAS. It would bring Australia into line with other nations allowing women into combat roles, including New Zealand, Israel, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, South Korea and Scandinavian countries.

Smith's decision followed similar recommendations a decade ago and repeated more recently by his predecessor, former Labor Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon.

But despite recruiting and retention problems in a hard-pressed military - 85 per cent of it male - the proposal continued to languish until the latest scandal at Canberra's Australian Defence Force Academy, in which the secret filming of an 18-year-old female cadet having sex was broadcast via Skype to other trainee officers.

The scandal, which has since led to criminal charges and a series of reviews, drew renewed attention to the concept of women in combat roles.

The Defence Force had already aimed recruiting campaigns at females, and Smith said their presence in front-line units should be accepted provided they could pass strict fitness tests.

"What you do in the forces should be determined by your physical and intellectual capability or capacity, not simply on the basis of sex or gender," Smith said.

He was supported by Abbott, who said that if women had the ability, there was no reason they should not be allowed to do the job. Under the proposal women would need to pass the same fitness requirements applying to males, already being tightened after figures showing a disturbing rate of out-of-condition diggers.

The tests include the ability to complete 70 full sit-ups, 40 push-ups, swim 50m in combat clothing, run 2.4km in less than 12 minutes, complete combat obstacle courses in full kit, engage in hand-to-hand fighting, cross minefields, carry stretchers and carry out combat first aid.

News Ltd newspapers yesterday said that the Government's approval of fighting women had been pre-empted by the army, which this week had begun briefing male soldiers on the impending reality of female combat colleagues from next year.

Brisbane's Courier-Mail said troops based in the city had already received gender equity training in preparation for the announcement, and that soldiers who felt unable to adapt to the change had been advised to find another job. It quoted the army's most senior female officer, Reserve Major General Liz Cosson, as welcoming the news.

The newspaper also said that troops had mixed views. One soldier said although some diggers were open to the idea others were "dead against it".