Andrew Tillett, 29 May 23, https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/high-seas-submariners-test-positive-for-drugs-20230528-p5dbvb
The rumours of drug use saw officials take hair samples and conduct 24 tests of crew members to try to get to the bottom of the claims. A Collins class submarine carries a minimum of 48 officers and sailors, plus additional trainees.
The drug investigation offers a rare window into Australia's submarine fleet, traditionally known as the "silent service" because of the secrecy attached to operations and deployment.
The revelations also come as the navy's submarine operations head towards an eventual transformation from the ageing Collins class submarines to nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS.
Submariners traditionally are among the highest paid of Australia's military personnel in recognition of the demands of the job, including being isolated at sea and cut off from contact with family for weeks, and the specialist skills required to keep a submarine safe while operating in an inherently risky environment hundreds of metres below the ocean's surface.
The Defence Department did not answer a series of detailed questions about the incident, but said in a statement a "small number" of navy personnel returned positive tests for prohibited substances in July 2022.
Administrative action
"Defence takes all incidents of this nature very seriously and has a zero-tolerance policy regarding the use of prohibited substances," the statement said.
"The personnel were provided access to, and informed of, the full range of support services available to all Australian Defence Force personnel.
"Administrative action has been taken against the personnel involved. Broader investigations ruled out wider use of prohibited substances."
The FOI documents do not reveal what submarine, ports or drugs were involved, and Defence did not provide those answers. The Financial Review has been told the submarine was HMAS Collins.
The documents show that several crew members were alleged to have used drugs during port visits in April and May last year. Commanders learnt of the claims on May 29 and initiated a fact-finding mission.
"The informant indicated that they became aware of this information during conversations with somebody, who heard it from somebody else, who heard it from somebody else and so on. In other words it was potentially 5th hand information," a Defence Incident Report of the allegations said.
"The informant went on to imply that the officer in the submarine who was the potential source of this information, had been identified by the unknown parties involved in the alleged illicit drug taking, and told that [redacted] had better not report what [redacted] saw (or similar words to that effect), or else!"
The three submariners at the centre of the claims were issued a show cause notice and ordered back to Australia where they were tested for drugs on July 19 last year. Two people tested positive while the results of the third test were inconclusive. As well as the drug use, the fact finding process examined whether the sailors had behaved dishonestly.
Following the positive drug test results, military police drug tested another 13 sailors on August 4. Eight members on board the submarine were tested three days later. Those tests were negative.
Of the sailors who used drugs, one told the navy he did not plan to contest his positive drug test and "wishes to separate from the navy as soon as possible", the documents said.
While the submariners were put on leave without pay, commanders concluded there was insufficient evidence to launch criminal action against them.
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