Duncan Kerr (Denison, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the chair of the committee. He has set out, in broad terms, the work of the committee, and the report gives further details of it. There are two aspects that raise issues for the future attention of the parliament and the agencies that are worth mentioning: firstly, the restrictions on reporting to the parliament, which are set out at paragraphs 1.48 to 1.50. I would commend those paragraphs to honourable members for their consideration because the committee has drawn attention to those restrictions on previous occasions. The committee does not wish to be carping or to be seen to be negative in relation to its brief, but it has drawn attention to these matters and would hope that both the executive and the parliament give further attention to those matters. Secondly, paragraphs 1.51 to 1.54 indicate a difference of opinion on the responsibility of the Director-General of ONA to assist the committee in relation to its statutory functions. Those also are matters which ought to be given further attention by the executive and the parliament. Certainly, the legal basis for the claim not to provide assistance seems to be extraordinarily thin, but I will say no more than that is an ongoing matter that will have to be attended to.

May I use the remainder of my time to make some personal remarks in relation to two people whose service this parliament should make great observance of: firstly, Mrs Margaret Swieringa, who was mentioned by the chair. She has been an extraordinarily good team leader, working at the sharp edge of the obligations between this parliament and the agencies, which very jealously—and properly—guard the obligations of confidence and secrecy they are charged with. Of course, this committee, insofar as it is given responsibilities by this parliament, seeks to discharge those responsibilities in the fullness of trust that is given to it by both houses. Margaret Swieringa has been a tremendous servant of the committee, the House and the Senate. With the chair, I am sure those remarks would be endorsed by every member of the committee.

Now I come to the chair himself. There was a time when we feared that, at the close of this parliamentary session, David Jull might not still be in office as the member for Fadden. The member for Fadden, as most people would know, suffered a very severe illness during this parliamentary term. He underwent very grave surgery that involved, I believe, the removal of a lung. But he came back from that and, although sometimes breathless and obviously less well than at other times, he has been a remarkable committee chair. He is always balanced, always moderate, always thoughtful and always bipartisan in the generosity of his approach to his task. He is willing to speak bluntly to agencies when it is the parliament’s requirement to do so, and he is willing to express himself with courtesy at all times. David Jull has been an ornament to this parliament. He is a former minister. He well understands the importance of the security environment in which we operate and he treats that seriously. As chair of the intelligence and security committee he always makes certain that the parliamentary responsibilities given to him, on behalf of both houses, are carried out with a full acknowledgement of the burden that is on him and also of the importance to the parliament of the discharge of those responsibilities. I am certain that we all wish you very well, David—if I may breach standing orders and refer to you in that way. You have been an ornament to this parliament, and your service as chair of this committee deserves this parliament’s tribute and recognition.

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