Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence. I refer the minister to reports of chaos and dysfunction within his office. Can the minister confirm that two of his staff had their phones and electronic devices confiscated, had their phone records inspected, had their security passes revoked and were escorted out of Parliament House yesterday without being allowed even to clean out their desks? Does the minister take responsibility for the chaos and dysfunction in his office?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Out of respect for the privacy of people who have worked with me, I will not comment publicly on staffing matters. The Department of Defence is investigating the origins of the material that was published and, as such, it is inappropriate for me to comment on that inquiry. However, I would make a general point. As a senior cabinet minister and a member of the National Security Council, I require the highest standard of probity and secure management of information within my office. Let me be clear: I will continue to maintain those standards. I have a very heavy responsibility, I take it seriously and I discharge it without hesitation.

As an office that has been disparaged by the senator, I want to run through some of the things that this office has achieved in a very short space of time. We have restored the defence budget—and let me tell you, that has taken some work. We have acquired 58 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. We have acquired the Triton broad area maritime unmanned aerial vehicle. We have acquired P-8 Poseidon maritime aircraft to replace our P-3s. We have brought forward work necessary to keep open the option of building the future frigate in Australia—something you never did. We fixed the Air Warfare Destroyer Program. We have provided new vehicles to special forces. We have restarted the ADF gap year program. We have indexed military superannuation. We have freed up basic health for all defence family members. We have started a white paper team, established it and issued discussion papers. The first principles review team is at work. We have signed a defence cooperation agreement with Japan. We have restored our military relationship with Indonesia. We have excised part of the Woomera prohibited area and we have opened it up for mining. We have conducted exercises in Australia with the Chinese. (Time expired)

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I again refer the Minister for Defence to the report about the chaos and dysfunction in his office. Can the minister confirm that, since April, he has lost his chief of staff, his senior adviser, his international adviser, his press secretary, and special adviser General Jim Molan, who said that working with him was simply not feasible?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Obviously the senator was not listening and has a prewritten question. I have said I will not discuss the privacy of people who have worked in my office, and I will maintain that position.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the chaos in the minister's office and the fact that he does not add much to the NSC, as he said in his own words, and given that he has been censured by the Senate, condemned by the South Australian parliament, abandoned by his colleagues, attacked by his junior minister and repudiated by the Prime Minister, will he now confirm that this will be his last question time as Minister for Defence?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No.