Entertainer Tania Zaetta will receive a personal apology from our defence force chief over unsubstantiated claims she had sex with Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.
The former Australian TV star and current Bollywood actress volunteered to join an entertainment tour of Afghanistan in April, alongside other performers, including Angry Anderson and the Wolverines.
But a leaked defence document last month referred to second-hand claims Ms Zaetta had sex with special forces soldiers at the Australian base in Tarin Kowt.
Ms Zaetta immediately denied the embarrassing allegations, forcing the department to scramble into finding the source of the leak.
Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston has told a Senate estimates hearing a quick assessment has been completed, and there's no substance to the allegations.
He says he'll write to Ms Zaetta personally, to apologise and express deep regret about any hurt she has suffered.
"It was not well handled by us. I was absolutely appalled that the names were put out in the `hot issues brief' and I regret the whole thing," he said.
