David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

This declaration does not absolve senior officers or the Department of Defence itself from responsibility for safety under the Work Health and Safety Act. The safety, protection and welfare of Australian Defence personnel are and will remain the highest priorities for me and the Chief of the Defence Force. The safety of life at sea is and will remain a paramount consideration in the conduct of all operations under Operation RESOLUTE, which is the Defence operation. It is very important to the men and women of the Royal Australian Navy that they have the support of the Australian parliament, which I think is very questionable given the current attitudes—