The independence of Australia's military justice watchdog from top brass has been scrutinised in a long-awaited review.
The report on the office of the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force was published online by the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, but was removed on Tuesday.
Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie had for months been calling on Defence Minister Richard Marles to release the 20-year review completed by former Federal Court judge Duncan Kerr.
But when the office of Greens Senator David Shoebridge found it online and tried to table it in parliament, it was removed from the public domain that same day.
The two senators released the report on Wednesday morning, blasting the government's "extraordinary interference in the independence of the royal commission".
The royal commission's report was released earlier in September. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)
The inspector-general is appointed by the federal government to oversee the fairness of Australia's military justice system.
Suggestions made in the report seek to change the widespread perception held by critics that the inspector-general's office was "umbilically-linked' to the command structure of the ADF".
It recommends two new deputy inspectors-general be appointed, with one to investigate service deaths in a bid to "future-proof" the institution.
The inspector-general should be able to investigate the death of any service member within two years of their exit from the ADF, and their appointment should be made by the governor-general for a single seven-year term.
Senator Shoebridge said the defence minister needed to explain if he ordered the report's removal.
He also criticised Mr Marles for the removal the week after the royal commission's report was handed down.
Jacqui Lambie and David Shoebridge say the defence minister has questions to answer. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)
Senator Lambie criticised Mr Marles for what she said was a lack of transparency, which was needed to fix the culture in Defence.
"He is like a deer in the headlights," she said.
"He doesn't want to take on a top brass, because he doesn't have the courage. He doesn't have what it takes."
The royal commission estimates there have been more than 3000 preventable deaths over the past three decades.
Officials, including Chief of the Defence Force Admiral David Johnston, gave evidence at the royal commission about issues in the military justice system.
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