Military police probe hidden camera on HMAS Leeuwin in Cairns

Military police are investigating the discovery of a hidden camera inside a female-only cabin on a navy ship.

The incident has prompted Senator Jacqui Lambie to raise the alarm in the Senate, and she says it's far from an isolated case.

It's also sparked a broader debate about whether the defence force can clean up its own culture, or whether an independent body needs to step in.