Ms JULIE BISHOP (Curtin—Minister for Foreign Affairs) (15:04): I second the motion. I support the motion moved by the member for Denison because what occurred yesterday in the Senate estimates hearing was a reflection not only on the Senate but on this entire parliament. That a person who occupies the position of shadow minister for defence could use the opportunity to launch a personal attack against one of Australia's finest military commanders is nothing short of a disgrace. What we wanted to hear, from last night and this morning and throughout question time, was something from the Leader of the Opposition to show that he did not agree with the outrageous, appalling, despicable conduct of the man he appointed as shadow minister for defence. What we wanted from the Leader of the Opposition was for him to say that Labor distanced themselves from this disgraceful act of attacking a military commander who had been asked by the Australian government to return to the service of this country by heading up Operation Sovereign Borders. The member for Denison can disagree with the policy, as he just has. The member for Denison can move motions in the House about it. We can debate it. What the member for Denison has done is the decent thing, by standing here and demanding that the opposition and other members of this House stand in condemnation of Senator Conroy. Look at this cabal going on here! They are so disorganised that they cannot even find a line to run in question time! Mr Dreyfus: It hadn't come up! Ms JULIE BISHOP: This happened last night in the Senate. The SPEAKER: The member for Isaacs and the minister will both desist. Ms JULIE BISHOP: Any political party that had any idea of what its members and senators were doing would have acted immediately. The Leader of the Opposition should have come out last night and condemned Senator Conroy for his disgraceful act. This morning the Leader of the Opposition should have been at the doors condemning Senator Conroy. Mr Abbott: He's getting David Feeney's advice now. Ms JULIE BISHOP: So he is taking former Senator Feeney's advice. It is about time, Leader of the Opposition. Take some advice from somebody who actually has worked with our defence forces and understands what this is doing to the morale of the men and women who serve this country. They do not expect to turn up in Senate estimates and have abuse hurled at them by the factional bovver boy of the Leader of the Opposition. The Leader of the Opposition unleashed the bovver boy. It is time he put him back on the rein. It is time the Leader of the Opposition showed some courage, some decency, and demanded that Senator Conroy give an unqualified apology to an honourable man who has served this country for over 30 years. This is a difficult task for any officer. This is a difficult task for any public servant. Lieutenant General Campbell was chosen because of his professionalism, his skill and his objectivity and he has risen to the task asked of him. He has to protect his Navy personnel because it is dangerous work in dangerous and risky circumstances. He has to withstand the glare of the media, who are focusing on Operation Sovereign Borders, but make no mistake: Operation Sovereign Borders was endorsed by the Australian people at the last election. So he is carrying out the tasks required of him by the government of the day. That is what our military personnel do, time in, time out. They do military work, they do humanitarian work, they carry out the policies, the requests and the directions of the government of the day. That is what they did when Labor were in government. What has happened to the Labor Party, who said there was bipartisan support for our military? What has happened to the Leader of the Opposition, who said he did not want our Navy to be a political football? What has happened to the decency that should be within this party? Enough of them have been defence ministers. Enough of them have been assistant defence ministers. There are decent people within the Labor Party, but they are not the Leader of the Opposition. It is now 10 past three on the day after this appalling attack, since this despicable slur was directed at Lieutenant General Campbell, and we still have not heard from the Leader of the Opposition. Does it really take a motion from one of the Independents for the Leader of the Opposition to get on his feet? Is that what it is going to take? He had opportunity after opportunity in question time. He could have stood up on indulgence and, Madam Speaker, we would have given the Leader of the Opposition an indulgence, had he asked you, so that he could have disassociated himself from the appalling conduct of Senator Conroy and joined with the government in condemning an attack on our military commanders. Lieutenant General Campbell deserves far better than this. He deserves our respect. He deserves our admiration. The Australian public have given him that respect and that admiration through the awarding of the Order of Australia for the work he did in East Timor. They have recognised his distinguished service as he headed up all Australian troops in the Middle East. This is a man who deserves the greatest respect and admiration. And what did he get from the shadow minister for defence? Mr Dreyfus: It was directed at you! The SPEAKER: The member for Isaacs! Ms JULIE BISHOP: An attack, a slur. Senator Conroy accused General Campbell of personally being involved in a political cover-up. It was a personal attack. It was unwarranted. It was indecent and deliberately designed to dishonour the reputation of an honourable man. The Labor members should hang their heads in shame for allowing the bovver boy from Victoria to get away with yet another attack. Mr Mitchell interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for McEwen! Ms JULIE BISHOP: Our Minister for Communications indicated that Senator Conroy was obviously on some unspeakable rant yesterday. Not only did he attack the reputation of one of Australia's leading businessmen under parliamentary privilege but also then he attacked one of our most distinguished, one of our finest military commanders, a man who has put his life on the line for this country. The Leader of the Opposition is madly writing notes now. Leader of the Opposition, it is too late. You should have demanded an unqualified apology this morning. You should have stood up in question time and distanced yourself from Senator Conroy and having unleashed this dog of war, it is time you put him back on the leash. Ms Kate Ellis interjecting— Ms JULIE BISHOP: So the princess from Adelaide says, 'Grow up!' Opposition members interjecting— Ms Plibersek: Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would like the foreign minister to withdraw that sexist remark. The SPEAKER: While we are on the question of sexist remarks, I would ask the member for McEwen to withdraw his calling the minister 'Madam Asbestos'. While we are in the business of tit for tat, we will have proper behaviour, thank you very much! Mr Mitchell: I am happy to comply with the changing rules and I withdraw. The SPEAKER: Thank you. Ms Chesters interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Bendigo will desist. Ms O'Dwyer: Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I believe that Mr Mitchell has just reflected on you in the chair with that statement. The SPEAKER: I think I can handle it. Ms JULIE BISHOP: I withdraw. Madam Speaker, this is the test for the Leader of the Opposition. He must stand and support the motion moved by the member for Denison and show that there is some decency left in that disorganised rabble on the other side.