Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

The government will not be supporting this motion. The Albanese government is committed to implementing the recommendations of the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force's Afghanistan inquiry report to the fullest extent possible. It has long been held that it is for the executive government to release independent reports at the appropriate time.

The report of the independent implementation oversight panel dealt with in this motion has been handed to government and is currently under thorough consideration. These are sensitive matters that may have implications for criminal prosecutions related to war crimes, among other issues. The government will release the report and its response once that consideration is concluded.

The opposition has indicated to the government that it will be supporting Senator Roberts's motion, and requested but then did not make themselves available for a briefing on the report. This is not the behaviour of a responsible party of government, and the opposition should think carefully about the road it is walking down in this action.