Hosting thousands of US marines near Darwin could see a rise in sexual assaults and drug use as well as a boost to the black economy, a Greens senator has claimed during a fiery parliamentary hearing.

The information was heard during a Senate estimates hearing, which also revealed that more than $12 million has been spent on a suite of reviews and probes into Defence culture, following last year's ''Skype'' scandal at the Australian Defence Force Academy.

That includes $7 million for the review of historical allegations of abuse within Defence being undertaken by law firm DLA Piper, and a further $500,000 for the Kirkham inquiry into Defence's handling of the Skype incident.

Defence staff strongly denied that US soldiers - who were stuck with the label ''oversexed, overpaid and over here'' during World War II - might commit sexual assaults, saying they were a professional force that is very conscious of the ''footprint'' they leave when in a foreign country.

West Australian Greens senator Scott Ludlam sparked the debate when he alleged US forces based in the Japanese island of Okinawa were ''deeply unpopular'' due to a history of violence and illegality.

That included, he said, ''sexual violence, other kinds of violence as a result of drunkenness and drug taking, the black economy, and ... legal immunities that such personnel have from domestic laws''.

US forces' reputation in Japan has been damaged by several incidents, most notably the 1995 abduction and rape by three US serviceman of a 12-year-old schoolgirl.

Senator Ludlam's remarks provoked a strong reaction from the defence chief, Lieutenant-General David Hurley, who said he had hosted many marine units while commanding troops in the Northern Territory and there had been no problems.

''I think it's really a slight on the US Marine Corps to say what you are saying,'' General Hurley said.

It was confirmed, however, that Defence will be doing a social impact assessment to establish what effect the US soldiers will have on the Darwin area. From later this year, Australian military bases in northern Australia will play host to thousands of US marines under a plan announced by US President Barack Obama during his visit here late last year.

While only 200 to 250 marines will arrive this year, within four years the bases will host about 2500 US soldiers.

General Hurley also provided an update on the eight reviews and inquiries undertaken in the wake of the Skype scandal, where an 18-year-old female cadet's sexual encounter with a male colleague was broadcast over Skype without her knowledge. General Hurley reacted strongly to what he sees as unduly harsh media reporting following the incident.

''I think the young men and women who are at that academy are unfairly characterised in the press, and ... yes, we'll look at some cultural issues in there, but I don't think I'm in the position at all where I'm trying to right a sinking ship.''

US Marines To Be Based In Darwin | Senator Warns On Marines

Well might General Hurley & Field Marshalls Gillard & Abbott resent Senator Ludlam's expressed concerns about the behaviour of American military personnel in foreign countries, away from theatres of military conflict however, perhaps all our interests would be better served if they looked a little harder to see the "footsteps" that reflect an American military presence, such as in Okinawa, Japan .....

What kind of behaviour requires the President of the United States & the Secretary of State to express their "regrets" at the actions of US military personnel & results in the stand-down of all US military forces for "reflection" & retraining in ethics & leadership? One would think that such action would be enough to send a clear signal that such behavior will not be tolerated?

Yet the history of sexual assault & rape of women around US military bases, particularly in Okinawa, reveals a military institutional acceptance of this criminal behavior & a lack of enforcement of military regulations against such behavior by senior military officers.

Many in Okinawa & in the United States are watching the US military's response to the latest rapes & sexual assaults to see if this pattern will change.

Since 1945, when the US military stormed onto the island of Okinawa to dislodge the Japanese military in World War II, Okinawan women & girls have been sexually assaulted & raped by US military personnel. Okinawans know the history of every assault. Thirty women were raped in 1945; 40 in 1946, 37 in 1947 & the count goes on year after year. The first conviction of a US military soldier for rape was in 1948.

According to reports compiled from police records & other sources by the organisation, Okinawan Women Act Against Military Violence, hundreds of Okinawan & Japanese women have been sexually assaulted & raped by US military personnel since 1945.

In the latest series of incidents, in April 2008, the US military in Japan charged a Marine with rape & other violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice in the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year old girl in Okinawa. US Marine Staff Sgt. Tyrone Hadnott, 38, who had been in the Marines 18 years, was charged with the February 10, 2008, rape of a child under 16, abusive sexual contact with a child, making a false official statement, adultery & kidnapping. In February, Japanese authorities had released Hadnott after the girl dropped the allegations against him, but the Marine Corps conducted its own investigation to see if Hadnott had violated codes of military justice.

The rape accusation against Hadnott stirred memories of a brutal rape more than a decade ago & triggered outrage across Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said that Hadnott's actions were "unforgivable."

The February 11, 2008, arrest of Hadnott by Okinawan police on suspicion of raping a 14-year-old girl he picked up on a motorcycle outside an ice cream parlor in Okinawa City on February 10 triggered an international incident. The same day, February 11, Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima & Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura lodged protests with the United States government.

On February 12, Okinawa police recommended a charge of rape to the Naha District Public Prosecutors Office and hundreds of Okinawans staged protests at the headquarters gate to Camp Foster, Japan.

Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed concern the alleged rape could affect the planned realignment of US troops in Japan.

On February 13, Lt. Gen. Bruce A. Wright, commander of all US military forces in Japan, US Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer & Lt. Gen. Richard Zilmer, commander of US Marines in Japan, met with Okinawa Governor Nakaima to express their concern. They promised steps would be taken to prevent future incidents.

On February 28, on an official visit to Japan, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also expressed her regrets to Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda & Foreign Minister Mashiko Komura. "I earlier had had a chance to express the regret to the prime minister on behalf of President (George W.) Bush, on behalf of myself and the people of the United States for the terrible incident that happened in Okinawa," Rice said at a joint news conference held after she spoke with Komura. "We are concerned for the well-being of the young girl and her family."

On May 15, 2008, a US military court-martial sentenced Hadnott to four years in prison, with one year suspended, after convicting him of abusive sexual conduct with a Japanese teenager in Okinawa. Four other charges, including rape of a child under 16, making a false official statement, adultery & "kidnapping through inveigling," or trickery, were dropped in a plea bargain. When asked specifically by a Japanese news reporter, a US Marines public affairs officer stated that Hadnott's name has been placed on the US National Sex Offenders list, yet the Stars & Stripes military newspaper reports that Hadnott will have to place himself on the sex offenders registry after he completes his 36-month jail sentence.

On May 16, 2008, charges were dropped against a soldier accused of raping a 21-year-old Filipino woman on February 18, 2008. The Naha, Okinawa, district public prosecutor said his office did not have sufficient evidence to indict Sgt. Ronald Edward Hopstock Jr., 25, of the 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, a US Army Patriot missile battery on the US Air Force's Kadena Air Base, Okinawa.

According to police, after the incident, the woman was hospitalized for more than a week & received outpatient treatment for two weeks. .

Like the US Marines in the Hadnott case, the US Army said it will conduct its own investigation, according to Maj. James Crawford, a US Army spokesman at Camp Zama, Japan.

On May 9, 2008, US Marine Lance Cpl. Larry Dean, 20, was convicted of "wrongful sexual contact & indecent acts" in the gang rape of a 19-year-old woman in Hiroshima, Japan, in October 2007, & sentenced to no more than one year in jail & a dishonorable discharge. He was also convicted of "fraternization & violating military orders about liberty & alcohol," but was cleared of rape & kidnapping charges. Three other Marines will be court-martialed this month on charges of gang-raping the young woman. In another incident, early in the month, another 14-year-old Japanese girl reportedly was assaulted by a US military service member.

In the 1995 case that is referenced by virtually every Okinawan one speaks with, three American servicemen kidnapped & gang-raped a 12-year-old Okinawan schoolgirl. In August 2006, one of the perpetrators of the 1995 rape strangled & raped a 22-year-old female college student in Georgia, after which he killed himself.

In 2002, Marine Maj. Michael Brown was charged with attempting to rape a Filipina bartender at a club on a US military base. Following a 19-month trial, on July 8, 2004, Brown was convicted by the Japanese District Court of "attempting an indecent act" & "destruction of property" but was acquitted of the rape charge. The court gave Brown a one-year prison sentence, suspended for three years & fined him $1,400. The Japanese judge said Brown was given a light sentence because the 21-year Marine veteran had no prior criminal record. Brown appealed the verdict to Japan's Supreme Court, which dismissed the appeal in July 2004. Brown was transferred by the US military to the Marine Corps Base at Quantico, Virginia, in August 2004.

In October 2005, Brown was arrested & charged with kidnapping an 18-year-old girl from a flea market in Milton, West Virginia. Brown was indicted in January 2006 on felony kidnapping & grand larceny charges, before the US Marine Corps demoted him to captain & allowed him to retire at that rank on February 1, 2006.

In 2006, a US civilian employed by the US military was jailed for nine years for raping two women on Okinawa.

While the vast majority of US military personnel do not commit criminal acts while in Japan, the continued presence after 60 years of such a large number of US military & the horrific crimes committed by a small minority of US military, mean that America's military presence in Japan & Okinawa is deeply resented & many Japanese call for the removal of US bases there.

Military Violence Against Women In Peacetime

in america .....

In February last year, a group of American servicemen & women named former US secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld & current Secretary Robert Gates in a military rape & sexual assault lawsuit.

More than a dozen women & two men are seeking compensation after claiming they were raped, assaulted & harassed while serving in the US Armed Forces.

They accused Gates & Rumsfeld of failing "to take reasonable steps to prevent plaintiffs from being repeatedly raped, sexually assaulted & sexually harassed by federal military personnel".

Many of the claimants say they faced mocking & retribution among colleagues for reporting the alleged crimes & they were forced to continue living & working alongside their attackers.

In one incident an army reservist claimed two male colleagues raped her in Iraq & videotaped the attack, which was then circulated to colleagues.

Although she complained to authorities & was bruised from her shoulders to elbows from being held down, she says charges were not filed because the commander determined she did not act like a rape victim & did not struggle enough. The lawsuit alleged her attackers included an army criminal investigator & an army National Guard commander.

closer to home .....

And many older Australians will recall earlier instances in our history where the presence of American servicemen gave rise to significant unrest & violence, including the Battle of Brisbane & several smaller riots in Townsville, Rockhampton & Mount Isa.

There were similar riots in other states, including Melbourne, Bondi, Perth & Fremantle.