A hidden surveillance device has been formally confirmed discovered in a crew cabin of the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Leeuwin, docked in the northern Queensland city of Cairns, in an incident that has sparked urgent questions over service member privacy and military safety. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) verified the find in an official statement, confirming the device was located on Sunday.
The confirmation came only after independent senator Jacqui Lambie, a former military veteran and longstanding advocate for defence personnel, went public with allegations during a parliamentary address this Wednesday. Lambie told the Australian Senate that she had been contacted by anonymous serving navy personnel, who claimed concealed recording devices had been recently uncovered in female sailors’ shower facilities, and that the discovery had halted the ship’s scheduled deployment while probes got underway.
In the most alarming part of her address, Lambie raised unconfirmed allegations that compromising footage captured by the hidden devices had been uploaded to public online platforms before the devices were detected. “How many of our female sailors have unknowingly been recorded in their most private moments?” Lambie asked during parliamentary questioning. “How much footage has been distributed online so far, retained or uploaded without knowledge or consent? These are the questions today I ask Navy.”
In its official response, the ADF did not confirm or deny whether the recording device found on HMAS Leeuwin was placed in a female-only private space. The department confirmed that the incident has been formally referred to the Joint Military Police United for a full criminal and administrative investigation.
The ADF emphasized in its statement that it treats the alleged incident with the utmost gravity, and that it does not tolerate any form of inappropriate or unacceptable behavior within its ranks. “The ship remained alongside to enable the investigation and ensure immediate support was provided to members of the ship’s crew. The welfare of individuals remains Defence’s priority, and support is ongoing,” the statement read.
Citing the ongoing active investigation and a commitment to protecting the privacy of any potentially affected personnel, the ADF declined to share additional details about the location of the device, how long it may have been in place, or any potential persons of interest connected to the incident.