A series of huge delays in publishing Defence reports into the deaths of Australian soldiers in Afghanistan - leaving families waiting for more than 18 months for results - may be coming to an end following a comprehensive review.
Responding to continuing criticism by families of diggers killed in Afghanistan, the vice defence chief, Air Marshal Mark Binskin, said yesterday the process of combat death inquiries was being overhauled.
His announcement came as he issued the report into the death of Lance Corporal Jared MacKinney, killed during an intense firefight with the Taliban in Uruzgan 16 months ago.
''Since October we've reviewed the whole process of combat death inquiries from end to end and identified causes of unnecessary delay. We're now working to eliminate those causes,'' Air Marshal Binskin said.
He also acknowledged that in the past families had not been given access to information as quickly as they should have been.
''We are reviewing our procedural and legal constraints to see if, and importantly how, we can release information faster to the families.''
However, there still remain several outstanding combat death reports, including those into the deaths of sappers Jacob Moerland and Darren Smith, killed by an explosion in June 2010.
''These inquiries can be very complex and involve liaising with multiple nations' armed forces,'' Air Marshal Binskin said.
He welcomed, however, the publication of the report into the death of Lance Corporal MacKinney, shot dead during a three-hour battle between a patrol of 40 Australian and Afghan soldiers and 80 to 100 insurgents on August 24, 2010.
Senior officers had been accused of several failures during the battle in Uruzgan's west.
The report's authors found those claims were without basis, saying Lance Corporal MacKinney's death was the ''direct, and sole, result of enemy action''.
The firefight was so intense, four soldiers involved subsequently received awards during last month's Australia Day awards.
Two received medals for gallantry, one received a commendation for gallantry and another received a distinguished service medal.
Thirty-two Australian soldiers have died in Afghanistan since 2001.
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