>From the MELBOURNE AGE, Tuesday 4 August

LESBIAN IS BACK IN THE ARMY

The army has reinstated the lesbian officer whose complaint of discrimination
when she was sacked led to the row over the ban on homosexuals in the Defense
Force.

But the army refused to return the sergeant to her parent unit in Perth and
has instead posted her to headquarters.  The woman refused to comment last
night, citing the Official Secrets Act.  [This is mysterious.  Either it
explains her anonymity, or it hints at possible strong-arming by the Defense
Force.  --ed.]

The woman, sacked after 18 years of service in the reserve and several months
as a full-time officer, had complained to the Human Rights Commission.

This triggered a Defense Force review after which, under pressure from 
Defense Force chiefs, the Defense Minister, Senator Ray, overruled the 
Minister for Defense Science and Personnel [who had ordered the ban 
abolished] and endorsed the ban in late June.

The Attorney-General, Mr Duffy, will ask Cabinet this month to overturn the
ban on the basis that it breaches [Australian Labor] party policy and
Australia's international obligations to stop sexual discrimination.

The move is seen by officials as a tactical ploy to avoid a report by the
Human Rights Commissioner, Mr Brian Burdekin, to Mr Duffy advising of a
breach of international law.  Mr Duffy would have had to table the report
in Parliament.