Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Lambie. I guess the short answer is that the government is confident in its appointment of Major General Brereton to this important role as the head of the new national corruption commission, a body that is sorely needed in this country and has been sorely needed for many years despite the intransigence of the coalition in refusing to actually establish it. But I think all of us have been very concerned about the allegations that have come to light recently partly in response to some recent defamation actions but also more generally as a result of the investigations from the Office of the Special Investigator.

Senator Lambie, as I think you are aware, the Office of the Special Investigator is continuing to work with the Australian Federal Police to investigate those allegations of war crimes by members of the Australian Defence Force in Afghanistan from 2005 to 2016. They are extremely serious allegations that deserve to be properly, independently and fairly investigated. The OSI is one element of the broader response to the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Forces' Afghanistan inquiry report, or the Brereton report. I don't propose to comment on investigations or inquiries that have been undertaken by the AFP, the OSI or the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force, but these are very serious matters that deserve proper investigation.

The Attorney-General, the government and I have confidence in Major General Brereton to head up this organisation. We hope that he has the full support of the Australian community in rooting out any form of corruption that exists within the Australian government. There have obviously been a range of allegations that have come to light in that respect over the last few months as well, and they deserve to be properly investigated.