ROBERTSON RESIGNS Navy Refused Captain A Seagoing Command

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30553, 23 September 1964, Page 17

ROBERTSON RESIGNS Navy Refused Captain A Seagoing Command

f.X.Z. Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, September 22. The resignation from the navy of the former H.M.A.S. Melbourne commander, Captain R. J. Robertson, to take effect next Monday, was accepted by the Governor-General, Lord de L’lsle, in the Executive Council today.

His resignation means loss of the salary of £4BOO he would have received until he was due to retire in seven years’ time.

Captain Robertson resigned after asking for another sea command and being posted to a shore station.

The Government is reported to be considering a special “act-of-grace” payment to Captain Robertson, who loses a £2228. a year pension by resigning.

The Defence Forces Retirement Benefits Act makes no provision for such a payment, so a Government decision would be necessary.

Without a Cabinet move, Captain Robertson would get from the fund only the contributions he has paid over more than 30 years.

In the house of Representatives today the Navy Minister (Mr Chaney) was asked by the Opposition leader (Mr Calwell) whether Captain Robertson submitted his resignation to the Naval Board last week.

Mr Calwell also asked: “Did the Naval Board recommend acceptance to the Government?

“Did the Government, through the Executive Council, today accept the resignation for gazetting? “Is the Minister prepared to make a statement on the matter?” WITHDRAWAL

In a statement read for him by the Aviation Minister (Mr Henty) Mr Chaney said he was now free to state why he had refrained from announcing that Captain Robertson had tendered his resignation. “Captain Robertson’s resignation could have been withdrawn by him at the time up to its acceptance,” Mr Chaney said. “Had I announced he had tendered his resignation, and it was not accepted, I would have deprived him of an opportunity of withdrawing.” Mr Chaney said he had no doubt that disclosure of the situation would have made it impossible for Captain Robertson to withdraw. INTERFERENCE

“It would have in effect terminated his service—l was not prepared to do this,” he said.

Mr Chaney said some people might believe that the Government could have taken some action about the posting of Captain Robertson to a shore appointment. This would have been political interference, he said. “If I politically intervened in a posting and directed that an officer should have been sent to a particular post this

would be a most dangerous proceeding,” Mr Chaney said. “It would have ' created serious dissatisfaction in the service itself. “These postings must not depend upon political influence.” Senator Cavanagh (Labour) asked Senator Henty if the Navy Minister would state that the re-posting of Captain Robertson was not a demotion, and was not the imposition of a penalty. Senator Henty said the reposting was at the direction of the Naval Board. Captain Robertson had the opportunity to approach the authority through his flagofficer and state his case. “Captain Robertson took no action,” he said. COLLISION Captain Robertson was commander of the aircraftcarrier Melbourne when it cut in two the destroyer Voyager off the New South Wales coast on the night of February 10. The Voyager sank with the loss of 82 lives. Captain Robertson was relieved of his command in March, pending a Royal Commission into the disaster. Later, he was appointed commanding officer of H.M.A.S. Watson, the radar and anti-submarine training school at South Head. After the Royal Commission, he asked to be given back his sea command, but was refused. Last week he offered his resignation to the Naval Board.

A decision was delayed to give him time to reconsider his position.