MOTIONS › Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force
Senator ROBERTS (Queensland) (13:00): I seek leave to make a short statement. Senator Wong: Of two minutes? Senator ROBERTS: Under two minutes. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Bilyk ): Leave is granted. Senator ROBERTS: No more hiding—that's what we want. We want no more hiding from the Department of Defence, as Senator Lambie has just said. The hiding is killing enlisted people and killing veterans. We've got to stop the hiding. I support Senator Lambie. One Nation supports Senator Lambie's motion. I don't need to say much more, because yesterday I spoke at length about the partial release of documents that we have been chasing for years now about the Taipan helicopter. Had we gotten those documents and had Defence analysed them, it could well have saved four lives that were tragically lost in the Whitsundays. We asked for the release of documents. After years, we got a redacted executive summary of a report. There were no correspondence, inquiries or other documents— Senator Shoebridge: And it shows systemic failure. Senator ROBERTS: And it shows systemic failure. Thank you for those words. It shows a rot from the top. The most important strategic weapon we have in our Australian Defence Force is its culture, and it is being destroyed. We need to end the hiding. I support Senator Lambie's motion. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Cox ): I believe you are seeking leave for a statement, Senator David Pocock?