Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has received a recommendation from the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal that Tasmania's Teddy Sheean be awarded a Victoria Cross for, 'The most conspicuous gallantry and a pre-eminent act of valour in the presence of the enemy.' Why does the Prime Minister need another review to tell him that Teddy's sacrifice should be honoured with the Victoria Cross?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. There is absolutely no doubt that Teddy Sheean was an extraordinary Australian who did extraordinary things at a time that none of us in this place can possibly imagine, and the issues that were confronted by service men and women at the time is nothing we can imagine—their commanders and those who were there at that time and made judgements on these issues. When one goes back and looks at these matters again, one must be very careful when they're putting themselves in the place of others who were there at the time. The four members of the tribunal, not all 11—it was a unanimous decision. Not 11, just four—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

It was just four. I'd just point that out to the Leader of the Opposition, as he represented that all 11 members of the tribunal made that decision. That is, in fact, not the case. There were four.

Equally, when the government receives the recommendation from the tribunal, the government then needs to consider that recommendation in forming a view and, indeed, the minister and the Prime Minister needs to form a view. So you take advice from all of the agencies that would have a relevant view on this, as I have done. I table the letter from the Chief of the Defence Force, General Campbell, for the purposes of this question and for the information of the House.

I can assure you, as Prime Minister and Chair of the National Security Committee of Cabinet, that I do not consider the advice of the Chief of Defence Force lightly. I consider it very carefully. And it's not just the current Chief of Defence Force that I've consulted on this matter; I've consulted many others who have served in that capacity in recent times. So I'm not going to consider lightly the advice that comes from the person who commands every single man and woman who serves in our defence forces.

The issue that is raised in relation to this matter is whether compelling new evidence has been presented and is available to me to take a decision that would enable me to make a recommendation to Her Majesty. That matter, on my advice, is in dispute and so I have sought advice from the former defence minister, the former Solicitor-General, the former Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and one of the most renowned military historians in this country in order to consider that precise question. If that advice comes back and says that that very high bar has been passed then that is helpful advice. And I can assure you, because I consulted the Chief of Defence Force on this matter— (Time expired)

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition is seeking to table a document?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I seek leave to table the unanimous report of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal, 'Barnett and the Department of Defence re: Sheean', of 23 July 2019.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is leave granted? The Leader of the House.

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is not granted. It's a public document.