News and Reviews

WA: Army didn't take heat warnings seriously enough: coroner
Monday, 31 October, 2005
PERTH, Oct 31 AAP - The army was warned of the dangers of training in extreme heat but may not have taken the issue seriously enough, a coroner investigating a soldier's death from heat stress has found. Northern Territory coroner Greg Cavanagh has called on Chief of Army Lieutenant General Peter Leahy to review the positions of those who allowed the training exercise to proceed during the territory's hottest period, despite warnings it could be life-threatening.

Mr Cavanagh today handed down his findings into the death of Tasmanian trooper Angus Lawrence, 25. Trooper Lawrence collapsed and died after training for four days in scorching heat and humidity at Mt Bundey, in the NT, last November. He was one of 67 soldiers taking part in a course for promotion to corporal, digging pits and conducting patrols with little shade, sleep or relief from the 36 degree celsius heat. A total of 13 other soldiers presented with heat-related sickness on the day trooper Lawrence died.

During the September inquest, army instructor Dale Wallace said three months before trooper Lawrence's death, he raised his concerns about the extreme climate with the then commander of the army's regional training centres, Brigadier Chris Anstey. "We bluntly told him if we kept doing this we are going to kill someone," warrant officer Wallace told the inquest.

Today, Mr Cavanagh said he accepted warrant officer Wallace's evidence that he specifically warned higher command of the risk to soldiers' lives. "I remain unsure that this warning was taken seriously enough or that the response was appropriate enough in the circumstances," the coroner said.

Mr Cavanagh commended the army's actions since the training fatality, and its "fulsome apology" to trooper Lawrence's death. "However, I do recommend that the Chief of Army review (once again) the position of some of those responsible for allowing the exercise to occur during which the deceased became ill."

Mr Cavanagh said while he was concerned about the decision to continue with the training exercise, a conclusive finding on the merit of that decision was "a matter for others".

The army, through its lawyer Michael Maurice, QC, has acknowledged trooper
Lawrence's death was preventable, saying it had exposed systematic flaws within the army's policies.
Outside Darwin Magistrates Court today, the commander of regional training centres, Brigadier Mark Bornholt, apologised to the family of trooper Lawrence.
"The army as a whole grieve for the loss of one of our soldiers and we are working hard to reduce the chance of further similar accidents," he told ABC radio.