Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

that ASIO does to keep our country safe.

I want to say that I have the highest respect and admiration for the work that ASIO does. And I have to say that I am better informed about it, thanks to the classified briefing that I received yesterday after the cameras had long gone. I have the highest respect for the Director-General of ASIO, who commanded our special forces. He was appointed secretary of the Department of Defence by members opposite. He was appointed Ambassador to NATO by members opposite. I have the highest respect for him.

And the suggestion, coming again and again from members opposite, that somehow the Director-General of ASIO, that senior officers of ASIO, would have permitted classified material—

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