David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

(1) That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, by no later than 9 am on 9 August 2023, all incident reports, safety evaluations, briefing notes, correspondence and information held by:

(a) the Department of Defence;

(b) the Minister; or

(c) the Minister's office;

in relation to the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter, between 22 March 2023 up to and including 27 July 2023.

(2) That, in complying with this order, the Minister may redact from the documents information identifying personnel and information in relation to training techniques.

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

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

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

The government will not be supporting this motion. The tragic incident involving the loss of four members of the Australian Defence Force occurred just over a week ago. Recovery efforts continue. As the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chief of the Australian Defence Force said last week:

…there will be a full investigation and we will come to understand exactly what happened and learn the lessons from it.

The government is committed to transparency, and we will be transparent about that. While recovery efforts at sea continue, it is not the time to move motions seeking documents that may form part of the investigation into this tragic incident. This investigation will rightly be conducted by experts—not by Senator Shoebridge through the media.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The opposition is disappointed with this motion and will not play politics with the loss of Defence lives. We welcome the statements from the Deputy Prime Minister that there will be a thorough investigation into this incident and that the MRH-90 Taipan helicopters have been grounded until further notice. We expect the government to be transparent about the review findings and its next steps. There will be numerous opportunities for Senate scrutiny of these processes and also of earlier decisions. However, at this time, our thoughts are with the Defence personnel we've lost and their families, loved ones and mates. We also acknowledge all of those who have worked on the rescue and recovery operations, along with those undertaking current investigations.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that general business notice of motion No. 271 be agreed to.