Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. I refer to the leak of 22,000 pages of secret documents related to the Scorpene submarine, which Minister Pyne has said have no bearing on Australia's submarine program. If that is the case, can the minister explain why the Prime Minister took the considerable step of raising the leaks with the French Prime Minister while attending the G20 meeting?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have to indicate to Senator Carr that I do not agree with the premise of his question. I do not think it was a 'considerable step' for the Prime Minister to raise the issue in a bilateral meeting with President Hollande. In fact, I think it was an entirely appropriate matter for discussion. The Prime Minister indicated that in relation to the security of matters around the Future Submarine Program—and, quite frankly, for that matter the Collins class submarine program—we should have a 'ferocious commitment' to security. I endorse that—I have repeated it myself—and I completely disagree with Senator Carr.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Carr, a supplementary question.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I refer to the Minister for Defence Industry, Minister Pyne, who last week sought to trivialise the issue by saying:

The leak of those documents, they were not top secret documents …

Can the minister advise what classification of secret documents we would need to have for Minister Pyne to take a leak seriously?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would have thought Senator Carr was more than well aware of the classification arrangements relating to documents concerning matters of security—cabinet and otherwise—and I am sure he can determine that the himself.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Carr, a final supplementary question.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask the Minister for Defence: do you support the Prime Minister's assessment that the matter is serious, or the dismissive attitude of the Minister for Defence Industry, Mr Pyne?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I believe I have already indicated to the Senate that I agree with the way in which the Prime Minister raised the matter with President Hollande. The Prime Minister has indicated that what we should have in this regard is a 'ferocious commitment' to security concerning the Future Submarine Program, and I have nothing further to add.