Robert McClelland (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence. Minister, in light of concerns that some pistols issued to members of the ADF security detachment in Baghdad were made in 1963, will the minister inform the House whether he has received the report of the Review into the Combat Clothing and Equipment section of the Defence Materiel Organisation? If the report has been received, when will the report be released?

Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Barton for his question. There are two issues inherent in the question. The first relates to the Glock nine-millimetre pistol. As former Chief of Defence Major General Cosgrove remarked, I think on Monday, whilst the design of the pistol is aged, the pistol itself may not be. All of the equipment issues in the Australian Defence Force are under constant supervision by the Defence Force and its military. The second issue is the system which delivers equipment to our soldiers. Shortly after my appointment to the portfolio I initiated an independent inquiry into the System Program Office, which delivers supplies to our Australian soldiers. That office has 33,000 line items and more than $22 million a year in budget. I have received that report. I have had a preliminary meeting with the secretary, the defence chiefs and the chief executive of the Defence Materiel Organisation in relation to it. It is currently being considered by me and the ADF. The outcome of the report and what I intend to do about it will be released in due course.