Robert McClelland (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister recall setting a time frame for the withdrawal of Australian troops from Iraq in 2003, when he said that Australian troops would remain in Iraq for only a matter of months and not years? Why did the Prime Minister set a time frame for the withdrawal of Australian troops from Iraq in 2003 but not set such a time frame today?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In answer to the member for Barton, I do recall using that expression. I used that expression in the context of the very early military operations in Iraq, when it did not appear at that time that the coalition would require forces to be in Iraq for the long period of time that has now elapsed. I will check the precise context, but my best recall is that I was asked this question at the end of the initial military phase and it was asked in relation to the forces including, I think, the FA18s and also the Special Forces that have been used in the initial military operation. My recall is that I spoke then of them being there for weeks and months rather than a longer period of time. I think that if the member for Barton, who normally has more regard for accuracy in these matters than some of his colleagues do, would go back and have a look at that context he would fairly conclude that the context for the question that I think I was asked was: when are the boys coming home from the initial phase? I said that I expected it to be weeks and not months. I think you will find that that is the context.

There is another point that is really relevant to the debate. The group of Australian forces that the opposition now says they would bring home, and the only ones that they say they would bring home, is in fact a battle group which is in southern Iraq. That is the only group that they are saying will come home. That battle group was not in Iraq when the question I answered in relation to weeks and months was asked. So, by your own definition, you should not be asking the question.