A report on alleged unlawful killing has been handed to the Government revealing 'uncomfortable' details of conduct by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, flanked by Defence Minister Senator Linda Reynolds, today announced a Special Investigator will be appointed to probe allegations Australian sliders committed war crimes during their long tenure in Afghanistan between 2005-2006.
This announcement comes just one week before a redacted report, from the 4 year-long-investigation into the killing of civilians, is released next Thursday.
Mr Morrison said the report will be "difficult and hard" for Australians to read and also that there is a significant number of incidents that need to be investigated further.
"There is some disturbing content here, but we cannot then take that and apply it to everyone who has pulled on a uniform and if we did this, that would be grossly unjust," Mr Morrison said.
"We all share a deep respect for our defence forces, but we also share a deep respect for justice."
Defence Minster Reynolds also announced an oversight panel called the Afghanistan Inquiry Implementation Oversight Panel, which will provide quarterly reports on the investigation and assist with implementing recommendations from next weeks report.