Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Hansard source

Defence is rotten the at its core, and the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force is part of that; it is defence's legal system. I know it, veterans know it and the Australian people can see it. But the Minister for Defence seems to be trapped in a world of sunshine and lollipops. I've known about the problems with the IGADF for years. Last year, I wrote to the Attorney-General requesting an urgent audit for three reasons. First, the office of the IGADF has never been audited, not once, in the 20 years since it was established. Second, the office of the IGADF has increased its staff by 85 per cent, all at taxpayers' expense. Third, and finally, the IGADF have been called out by the royal commission on their poor leadership and lack of accountability and transparency on numerous occasions.

Even though the IGADF and the Australian National Audit Office are separate agencies and they are supposed to be impartial, they met to discuss the 'scope of potential audit including to determine the auditability of the IGADF's functions'. In September last year, Justice Duncan Kerr was commissioned to review the office of the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force. This review was handed down the to the secretary and Chief of the Defence Force on 31 March 2024, yet all we have more than three months on is crickets. That's right—crickets. We've not had a report or a minister in sight willing to take action or accountability. Diggers have put their lives on the line for this country only for the IGADF to protect the top brass and not them. The role of the IGADF is very important. As they say on their website, they:

… oversee the quality and fairness of Australia's military justice system.

But its importance relies on the job being done fairly, impartially and independently. To me, it's failed on all fronts.

I asked Minister Marles's office if I could see Justice Kerr's review and I was told that I could, but—oh, yes; there's always a 'but', defence members—I could only have 15 minutes in the minister's office to read the report. I couldn't take it away, let alone speak on it. Then I would have 30 minutes to ask questions. Are you kidding me? Obviously, I told them where they could stick it. The minister needs to release this report effective immediately.

The government talk about low recruitment and retention in our defence forces, but, seriously, what have they actually done about it?

It's obvious that these things relate to failings and cover-ups at the top end of Defence, but it's not just cover-ups. Serving members and veterans don't have a minister who backs them in. In response to the Brereton report, the Minister for Defence said:

Today is a day where we come together and support the very difficult work which lies ahead in restoring integrity to Australia's Defence Forces.

I have a few ideas on how to restore that integrity. Just come and ask me, Minister Marles, and I'll share them with you as I have done in the past. It would be great if you would actually start listening, mate. It starts with cleaning out the top brass, who have been fixated on protecting the Defence Force over and above its diggers at all costs, even if it means covering up for the institution. Under Minister Marles, we have seen the appointment of Vice Admiral David Johnston to the position of Chief of the Defence Force. I hope, Vice Admiral Johnston, that you have a mop and bucket with you when you come in, because I can assure you that, when you take that top position this month, you will have a lot of work to do. I reckon you'll need a whole battalion of elves behind you, mate.

For too long, instead of lifting those who served our country up, the Australian government has done nothing but push them down. It's time the government got real about addressing the systemic issues in our Defence Force. I don't mean to sound like a broken record, but you'll only fix it when you stop putting the usual suspects into positions of power. I know that, for many veterans and families, the legal system within Defence has caused veteran suicides. Until it's fixed, the minister and the top brass will continue to have blood on their hands. If Minister Marles is serious about acting and fixing the legal system within Defence, he needs to make it an independent agency, completely independent from Defence. Otherwise it's just Defence policing itself. We've been doing that for years, and it's a big part of why we ended up with the royal commission into veteran suicides.

Unfortunately, we are stuck with an inspector-general who is as useless as they come, all too concerned with every interest but those of accountability, transparency and reducing veteran suicide. This seems to have rubbed off on the Minister for Defence, who at every opportunity ensures he is devoid of any kind of accountability. The 20-year review into the Office of the IGADF had better come up with some answers, because I can assure you that families out there are counting on you. They've had a gutful. The hiding of this report, which you've had for three months, is absolutely disgraceful. You are not helping our veterans, let alone reducing the suicides that are going on in Defence, which I hear are worse than ever.