About this project
Examining the future of Australian military discipline law
Military discipline plays a critical role in maintaining operational effectiveness, accountability and public trust in the Australian Defence Force. However, evolving social expectations, legal standards and technological developments continue to raise new questions about how military discipline systems should operate and interact with civilian legal frameworks.
To explore these challenges, a new edited collection, Australian Military Discipline Law: Legal Frameworks and Contemporary Issues, brings together leading military and civilian academics, legal practitioners and defence experts from across Australia. Scheduled for publication in 2026, the book examines the complex tensions that exist between military discipline and domestic and international criminal law, as well as between military and civilian cultures, values and expectations.
The collection addresses both longstanding and emerging issues in military discipline, including the impact of changing community standards, advances in technology, and recent controversies involving allegations of sexual offending and war crimes by Australian Defence Force personnel. Each chapter focuses on a specific contemporary challenge, providing critical analysis of the legal and policy frameworks that govern military discipline.
The project aims to deepen understanding of the unique role of military discipline in a modern democratic society and to inform future legal, policy and professional practice discussions. Its insights will be relevant to military personnel, legal practitioners, policymakers, academics and others involved in the administration and oversight of military justice.
The collection is edited by Dr Kellie Toole and Professor Dale Stephens and will be published in 2026.
Outcomes
The collection will be the set text for the Advanced Military Discipline Law course taught to military legal officers at the Adelaide Law School every year, and so will assist cohorts of students and influence military legal practice into the future.
