House debates Questions without Notice

National Security

Thursday, 30 March 2006 House of Representatives

Kevin Rudd

Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security

2:58 pm

My question is again to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I refer to the Australian Federal Police investigation into the leak of the top-secret national security document entitled Iraq: humanitarian consequences to a Melbourne newspaper in June 2003. Will the foreign minister assure the parliament and the preselectors of Kooyong that no member of his then staff was responsible for leaking this national security document, which is a criminal offence?

Alexander Downer

Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs

We have exhausted all questions on Iraq and now we are into the gutter. This was a long time ago, but as far as I recall—and the Attorney-General will correct my memory—there was an Australian Federal Police investigation into this leak and they produced a report. I think that report saw the end of the matter.