Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Whish-Wilson for his question. Let me too acknowledge the serving men and women of our Australian Defence Force who are in the gallery today, and say to all of you: thank you for your service. Thank you, indeed, for the contribution you make to our nation. I extend that around this chamber to the various colleagues who are veterans of the Australian Defence Force and thank all of them, as I do any of those listening, for their service and contribution.

In doing so, it is crucially important that, when we discuss matters of the IGADF report, we first and foremost acknowledge the vast and overwhelming majority of the men and women who have served Australia's Defence Force with distinction and with honour. In doing so, we say to all of them, 'You should be proud of your service and we are proud of you and what you have contributed.' Part of the pride that Australians should take in the way that we conduct ourselves as a nation, and in which our Defence Force operates, is that we hold ourselves to a high standard. We hold ourselves to a high standard as a country, as do all those who go out under the flag of our country and serve under that flag. But we expect that in doing so they will operate with the type of distinction of the vast majority.

But, in holding ourselves to that high standard, we also apply a degree of accountability and transparency that is unmatched by many other nations of the world and unrivalled by many others.