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

At Defence budget estimates this year I asked a series of questions about the US Department of Defense threatening to trigger the Leahy law as an excuse to take administrative action on our Aussie diggers. This law prevents the US Department of Defense from collaborating with organisations accused of war crimes. That includes our own. It's a very serious threat and it was made by what is supposed to be one of our closest allies, back in 2020-21. In response to the question General Campbell told me he would have to take that question on notice, that he would have to 'brush up on the law'. At the time I wondered how it could be that our own Chief of Defence Force didn't appear to know much about this. Did he really know? Did he not? Or did he just not want to tell Senate estimates what he knew. Well, well, well, give it up CDF, because I can tell you that a story in last night's Guardian newspaper shows he knew exactly what I was asking about! FOIs obtained by the paper show that in 2021-22 General Campbell briefed two defence ministers no fewer than five times over such a serious matter, but he's lost memory of it? Doesn't know? What a load of rubbish! He then closed the issue on 12 April 2022. Listen very carefully, Australians—the day after the caretaker period started last year! At every estimates the CDF avoids direct answers. He doesn't like accountability. He doesn't like answering to his superiors and thinks he is above parliament. Once again, get out of uniform. It is time for you to go.