Senator STOTT DESPOJA (Leader of the Australian Democrats) (2:22 PM) —My question is also addressed to the Minister for Defence. Is the government aware that earlier today the former Minister for Defence blamed bureaucrats in the Department of Defence for the government's failure to correct claims that asylum seekers threw their children overboard? Can the minister confirm that it was a failure in the system in the Department of Defence that resulted in the then defence minister not being made aware on 10 December or subsequently for another month that claims that asylum seekers threw their children overboard were false? When did this minister, the current minister, become first aware of this failure in the system in the department?

Senator HILL (Minister for Defence) —I have read one transcript of an interview with Mr Reith and I did not read him as blaming bureaucrats. What we do know is that there clearly were failures of communication in this matter, because the reporter comes to the conclusion that now, with the benefit of hindsight and having carried out an investigation, there isn't evidence that the children were thrown overboard. So somewhere a failure of communication occurred. As a result of these reports, we have considerable and worthwhile advice on how communications might be improved for the future. This government, and certainly I in relation to my responsibilities as defence minister, will take into account those advices in formulating what hopefully will be better chains of communication for the future. But this is not an issue of blaming bureaucrats. I do not think it is an issue of blaming anyone. The important point was that clearly at the critical time ministers were told that children were thrown overboard. They legitimately and appropriately informed the public of that fact. Now, with the benefit of hindsight and two inquiries, we believe we know better, and what we want to do is to see what experiences can be learnt from this.

Senator STOTT DESPOJA —Madam President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for his answer. Given the minister's acknowledgment that there have been communication problems and his claims that he has received worthwhile advice, can I ask the government: will there be a full investigation launched into these so-called communication breakdowns or this so-called failure within the system of the Department of Defence? Will there be a full investigation into what happened?

Senator HILL (Minister for Defence) —I can only request the honourable senator to read the reports, because the reports are the investigation she is requesting and they set out recommendations on how to improve the communications. So the advice on how to improve communications is set out within the reports. And it is that public advice—public after yesterday— that I intend to act upon.