Australia may scrap all gender barriers in military

CANBERRA, Australia - Women fight for militaries around the world but rarely if ever are allowed to take the jobs most closely associated with soldiering - those focused on ground combat in close quarters and even hand to hand. That may be about to change in Australia.

A policy overhaul to be decided by Cabinet within weeks would remove all gender barriers from the military next year, arguably making the Australian Defense Force the world's leader on gender equality.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the first woman to lead Australia, and Defense Minister Stephen Smith are among those calling for the change. Smith has said that "what you do in the forces should be determined by your physical and intellectual capability or capacity, not simply on the basis of sex".