Canberra, Sept 27 (ANI): The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is set to put women in frontline combat roles in the next five years.
Defence Minister Stephen Smith said an agreement to remove gender restrictions from ADF combat roles has been approved by the cabinet and had strong support from the chief of the Defence Force.
Smith said that 93 per cent of Australian Defence Force positions were now open to women.
He said that the other seven percent excluded women "simply on the basis of sex", that included jobs such as mine disposal divers, air force defence guards and infantry and artillery frontline positions.
The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Smith, as saying that this discrimination would be removed over five years in a "careful and methodical" way.
"In the future your role in the Defence Force will be determined on your ability, not on the basis of your sex," Smith said.
"If a woman is capable of doing the entrance program for the SAS or for commandos then they will be in it," he added.
Australia will be the fourth nation to remove restrictions on women in frontline roles following Canada, New Zealand and Israel. (ANI)
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