David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

'Shocking,' Senator Johnston says, and that is absolutely correct. Where is the honesty, transparency and accountability in the government towards our national security? On the one hand, they say nice things but, on the other hand, they put us in a position where there is an almost unachievable recovery path to provide the capability that our Defence Force needs. Lastly I would like to come to the issue of leadership. Minister Smith, as the Minister for Defence, has not shown the kind of openness and transparency in leadership that is required to provide the guidance that the department needs. We have just got to look at the recent reports around the Kirkham report and how he has handled that issue. Today in question time when Senator Johnston asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, Senator Carr, about this, the response we got was, 'We haven't released that report because there are sensitive legal issues.' If that is the case, why did the minister decide at the time that he could leap in, boots and all, and reach down—like the chair of the board beneath the CEO—to actually try to run the organisation? The Defence Act actually appoints statutory authorities to run the Defence organisation, and it is a gross breach of his duty for the minister to try to reach beneath that, to effect outcomes which have obviously now had unintended consequences. He is too embarrassed to be transparent enough to allow the Kirkham report to surface so that he can be held to account for the things that he has done during his leadership of that portfolio. Honesty, transparency and accountability: this government has not covered itself in glory in many aspects across different portfolio areas; but in the area that is perhaps the most costly and has the most significant long-term implications, the Gillard government has been found extremely wanting.