The Defence Department has admitted some of its personnel have undertaken professional development courses run by an organisation that had been listed as a possible cult.
At least $12,000 has been spent by the Department on courses run by Landmark Education - though none since 2004.
In the mid 1990s Landmark Education was listed among 200 groups in France that had cult-like features and it has been accused in the past of brainwashing.
But the group's spokeswoman, Deborah Beroset, says the organisation has been unfairly tarnished.
"What happened in France is that a commission established by the French Parliament issued a report that listed almost 200 organisations as being either a possible cult or potentially having cult-like aspects," she said.
"We were never contacted and were inappropriately included in that list."
