Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

In this debate on the appropriation bills, I want to speak about what I consider to be a quite disgraceful attack on the incumbent Governor-General, Major General Michael Jeffery, in the national media yesterday. His Excellency Major General Jeffery has been an outstanding representative of Her Majesty in Australia, both during his original vice regal appointment as Governor of Western Australia from 1993 to 2000 and during his subsequent appointment as the 24th Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. He has also been a very mature and experienced part of the process of governance, both in Western Australia and in the Commonwealth. His Excellency was a distinguished and decorated senior Australian Defence Force member. He served with distinction in Malaya, Vietnam and Papua New Guinea. I am pleased that the former Prime Minister, Mr Howard, thought fit to nominate Major General Jeffery for the position.

I particularly want to thank His Excellency Major General Jeffery for the very visible visit he made to Townsville earlier this year, principally to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Royal Australian Regiment of which he was a distinguished leader at one stage of his military career. I thank him for the way that he interacted with the Townsville community during the visit. It was, I think, representative of the way His Excellency has interacted with all Australians in all of his dealings in his role as Governor-General. During that visit to North Queensland, he and his wife were very gracious and the Governor-General demonstrated the sort of interest that he has taken in all things Australian since becoming our leader.

I understand from media reports that the allegation of Major General Jeffery leaking documents some years ago was made by what was described as ‘a former Labor minister’. The former Labor minister, who clearly did not have the courage to put his name to the accusation, was quoted as saying:

We never found any evidence, but if I had caught him leaking I would have executed him ...

I think that is a fairly despicable revelation—and all the more so, given the Labor Party’s concession that there was no evidence whatsoever to suggest that Major General Jeffery had engaged in such conduct. I note that His Excellency has described the allegation as repugnant and defamatory—and it is, I suggest, repugnant, defamatory and quite despicable.

I find it degrading that the Governor-General, who has maintained strict political neutrality and brought great honour not only to the vice-regal role but as a distinguished and decorated soldier, should be subjected to the vindictive spite of former Keating government ministers. Given that the media reports quote three senior members of the ALP, it is clearly a concerted attack on His Excellency’s reputation. The Prime Minister has a responsibility to ensure that his senior party members are not going around rubbishing the Governor-General or spreading false rumours, particularly when they are acknowledged as being false.

When Their Excellencies retire in early September, I wish them all the best and look forward to Major General Jeffery, in the long tradition of former Governors-General like Sir Zelman Cowen and Sir Ninian Stephen, continuing to make a distinguished contribution to the nation as a former Governor-General.

While I am on this subject, I also want to congratulate Queensland Governor and Governor-General Designate, Her Excellency Quentin Bryce, on her appointment by Her Majesty as the 25th Governor-General of Australia. I think that Her Excellency will be a great Governor-General, and I look forward to her taking up her new vice-regal appointment. I note that both the Governor-General Designate, Her Excellency Quentin Bryce, and Governor-General Jeffery are former or soon-to-be-former state governors. I want to congratulate the current government on following the previous government’s precedent in elevating a distinguished state governor to the post of Governor-General.

Her Excellency is widely respected in Queensland. She is a very, very gracious person and has carried out her duties as Queensland Governor in an exemplary fashion. I am particularly pleased to see that someone who hails from country Queensland has been chosen as our nation’s next Governor-General. Her Excellency comes from Ilfracombe, which is a very little town in Central Queensland, out near Longreach. Her elevation was a great delight to the people of that small town of about 270 people. I think it is a great indication of Australia and being Australian that someone from a small country town right out in the centre of the bush can rise to be the leader of our nation, taking on the most significant role in the governance of our nation. I do understand the role and the constraints that there will be on the new Governor-General, but I certainly look forward to Her Excellency highlighting the plight and also the potential of country Australia in her new role.