Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to weekend media reports of the chaotic confusion in the Prime Minister’s office. Prime Minister, for how many hours did you keep the Chief of the Australian Defence Force outside your office for no good reason and doesn’t this demonstrate a lack of respect for the Australian defence forces?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is because we have such respect for the CDF that we reappointed him as the Chief of the Defence Force. He is a fine man and he is doing a fine job as head of the Defence Force. It is one of the reasons why we have also continued, of course, the head of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Michael L’Estrange, in his position. It is one of the reasons why we have not conducted a Night of the Long Knives against Public Service heads, like those opposite did when they assumed office in 1996. We actually believe in the Westminster system. I am reliably informed by officers of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet that when cabinet met in a previous age—that is, six months ago—from time to time cabinet might have run a bit late and sometimes officials were kept waiting. It is part and parcel of the process of a busy cabinet schedule. Nothing has changed as far as these arrangements in the government are concerned. Mr Speaker, I draw your attention to the core principle here. Do we respect the independence of the Public Service? Have we maintained the heads of the Commonwealth agencies? When those opposite assumed office, they took out the revolver and shot them one by one by one, creating a climate of fear in the Public Service. That is not the way in which this government proposes to govern.