Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister advise the House on why it is important to ensure the integrity of decision making at the highest levels of government? Is the minister aware of any alternative approaches?

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Moore for this very important question. All governments have a responsibility to ensure that there is integrity in the decision-making processes, including at the highest levels, and in the case of the federal government that means in the cabinet and in the National Security Committee. The public must have confidence in these forums to ensure that decisions taken are in the national interest and on their merits. The fact is that, when decisions are taken in these forums, those charged with the solemn duty of making national security decisions should be unencumbered by any obligation to any benefactor who may not have Australia's national interest at heart. The fact is that leaders of political parties have a particular responsibility to ensure—in fact, to follow every credible lead to ensure—that their party is free from any obligations that could compromise Australia's national interest. The Leader of the Opposition has failed this fundamental test.

Yesterday it was revealed that the shadow minister for agriculture, the member for Hunter, while serving in a previous Labor government as Australia's Minister for Defence and a member of the National Security Committee, had a benefactor with alleged close links to a foreign intelligence service. It was also revealed that the Department of Defence had grave concerns about the Minister for Defence and the nature of his relationship with this benefactor and the connection with a foreign intelligence service.

Mr Speaker, given that the member for Hunter remains on Labor's frontbench and would be a cabinet minister in a Shorten government, wouldn't you think that the Leader of the Opposition would be demanding a security briefing about these specific allegations of the targeting of a senior member of his leadership team by a foreign intelligence service?

I can inform the House that the Leader of the Opposition has not sought such a briefing—36 hours later, after these revelations, and the Leader of the Opposition has not sought a security briefing about these serious allegations. His failure to do so means the Leader of the Opposition is now personally compromised on national security.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Isaacs!