Australian sailors played 'sex game' on board ship: report

According to a news report on 'Channel Seven', sailors on board 'HMAS Success' put a cash value on each woman's head, and sleeping with a female officer or a lesbian, or having sex in a strange placeas on top of a pool table, won more money.

The sailors have detailed their sex contest in a book they called "The Ledger", which came to light in May, when the vessel was in Singapore. The ship captain ordered the sailors involved immediately to return home after they were formally interviewed, the report said.

The Australian Navy has now launched a probe into the claims, with the country's Deputy Prime Minister calling for a full investigation into the affair so that women wouldn't feel excluded from joining the military.

"Obviously this is a matter for our defence forces to deal with and to fully investigate. As a nation, we have been saying for a long period of time we want men and women to be able to join the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and to have good careers in it.

"We don't want to see anything that precludes women from having a good career in our armed forces if that's what they choose to do with their lives," Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard told 'Channel Ten' TV today.

Though the Defence Department did not confirm how many sailors were involved it said in a statement: "The individuals were removed from ship after an equity and diversity health check, which led to a formal inquiry being initiated."