Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Johnston for the question. I acknowledge that he shares my interest in the question of military justice, as we served together on the Senate committee that, in a sense, kicked off the debate about the appropriate arrangements for managing and prosecuting offences in the Australian military. I do not have an up-to-date brief on these matters as to the progress on the changes to the court structures. As the senator is aware, the Howard government did not accept the recommendations of the Senate committee but went down a different path and then found that that was overturned in the courts. As a result, this government set about establishing a system much more closely aligned with the recommendations of the Senate committee. But I do not have an update with me. The staff may be able to hand me something that may assist me to deal with your supplementary question. If so, I might be able to give you some more specific information. If not, I suspect you will get the same answer for the supp. If I get something, I might be able to help you.