Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, they would. Yes, they would—because of all the people, of all the jobs where somebody might be a situation where you would think they would be backing in—

An honourable member interjecting—

I have just been told, just while people were starting to vote, that there is apparently a reason why the Leader of the House was late—although he did get to the chamber in time. He was apparently in a radio interview and he was asked to express confidence in the defence minister in that radio interview. He did not take the opportunity.

Opposition members interjecting—

He did not take the opportunity to express confidence in the defence minister. No doubt he is working on a petition right now to work out what should happen to the defence minister.

We have the embarrassment of a government in chaos in front of us now. Of all the portfolios where you cannot afford chaos, it should be that of the defence of the nation. It should be the defence minister. We have a very happy, smiling pretender here at the table right now, seeing opportunity right in front of him. But there is no opportunity here for the Australian Defence Force if there is a defence minister who no-one has any confidence in. There is no opportunity for the people of South Australia if our own workers are being bagged and having their work put down by the defence minister of Australia.

On 22 October the defence minister did not attend the national security meeting of cabinet. When asked why, he told a Senate estimates hearing that the reason he had not attended was: 'I was not going to add too much to what was going to inform the National Security Committee.'

Opposition members interjecting—

Even the defence minister knows he has nothing to offer. Liberal MPs know he has nothing to offer.

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