A Navy member accused of planting a video-recording device in an all-female cabin has been stood down.

The device was found in a cabin on the HMAS Leeuwin while it was docked in Cairns on October 11.

Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Matthew Buckley confirmed on Monday that a suspect had been identified and stood down on full pay. He said that was “normal convention” in an ongoing investigation.

The incident is being investigated by the Joint Military Police Unit and Defence, with help from the Australian Federal Police.

“Defence takes this incident extremely seriously and does not tolerate unacceptable behaviour in any form,” a department spokesperson said last week.

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy echoed the sentiment. He said the government had a “very strong view” that the behaviour was “reprehensible”.

“[It] undermined the dignity and privacy of Royal Australian Navy personnel. It was completely unacceptable, and it has no place in the modern Australian Defence Force,” he said.

Independent senator Jacqui Lambie, a veteran, revealed details last week when she told the upper house she had been contacted by a former member of the Navy with allegations that the recording device had been found.

“I was also told this had occurred recently and prevented the vessel from sailing while investigations were ongoing,” she said.

“Even more disturbing are claims that footage from these cameras may have been uploaded online before the cameras were discovered.”

But Buckley said there was as yet no evidence that the material had been shared.

“I can’t go into any specific details about the investigation, but I’ve seen no evidence of any sharing of that information,” he said.

“But as I said, the investigation is ongoing and it’s important that we don’t compromise that, such that we can take the appropriate actions needed.”

An audit of the Navy fleet confirmed no other devices had been planted.

-AAP