Canberra – Administrative action is being taken against two defence personnel following high profile document leak investigations. Defence department secretary Dr Alan Hawke told a Senate estimates committee the inquiries related to leaking of documents concerning East Timor and to alleged espionage by a Defence Intelligence Organisation employee who is now before the court.

Jason Brown, defence department assistant secretary for security, said administrative charges were being prepared in the two cases. One is a defence civilian and the other a member of the military.

Mr Brown said one had been suspended from service in September following an investigation instigated by the Australian Federal Police. The other had been restricted to controlled duties following an internal defence inquiry.

Mr Brown declined to reveal further details. "I am content to answer that the person stood down is a civilian member," he said.

Leaking of defence intelligence documents at the time of the East Timor operation in 1999 proved highly embarrassing for the government. They suggested the violence and destruction had been orchestrated by the Indonesian military at the time the government was attributing it to rogue elements.

The government launched an intensive investigation which included a police raid on the home of an opposition staff member. That coincided with other inquiries relating to former DIO employee Simon Lappas and to publication of secret details on the Collins submarines.

Mr Brown said no-one had been caught for leaking the submarine details but the investigations remained open. "There are a number of persons who were investigated for submarines leaks who have since departed defence who cannot be ruled out but certainly cannot be ruled in," he said. "We don't close the book on them in case other information comes forward."

Mr Brown said the new defence Security Investigation Unit, formed last year to raise the standards of security investigations, would start work next month. He said the head of the new unit had not yet been chosen.