Radio interview - 6PR Mornings with Gary Adshead - Thursday 1 June 2023

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
6PR PERTH
MORNINGS WITH GARY ADSHEAD
THURSDAY 1 JUNE 2023

GARY ADSHEAD: And welcome to them both. They're both there in Canberra. Thanks very much for joining us, gentlemen.

MINISTER MATT KEOGH, MINISTER FOR VETERANS’ AFFAIRS: Good morning.

ANDREW HASTIE, SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE: Good morning, Gary,

GARY ADSHEAD: Both in your wheelhouse. This is this revelation from Angus Campbell, the head of the Defence Force talking about the fact that the US government was worried enough about the issues around Afghanistan and our special forces, that they may not have cooperated with this or wanted to work without Special Air Service after that. What's your reaction to that first, Andrew, if you don't mind?

ANDREW HASTIE: Well, Gary, I knew back in 2021, I remember visiting Campbell Barracks to see the guys and girls at the SAS with Peter Dutton, who was Minister for Defence then and I recall it being mentioned to me by officers at the time, and it was being resolved. So, I think the press in the last 24 hours has not been helpful. The regimen itself is full of great Australians, many of whom have not deployed to Afghanistan, and were not part of any of this. And so it's unfair that they should be tainted like this. I think the press has been blowing this out of proportion. I think there was obviously a letter passed. But that was resolved that the Defence Force or Departmental level, and we continue to work very closely with the United States.

GARY ADSHEAD: And, Matt, have you asked for this to be briefed on this, will it be cleared up as to where things are at?

MINISTER KEOGH: Well as the CDF made clear yesterday, the Government at the time was briefed. The matter was all resolved before we came into Government. The letter merely raised a concern. And obviously, Government is briefed on matters: the Defence Minister, myself as appropriately when things arise as they need to be. This was a matter that was resolved before we came into Government. And so it's come out this week, but it's moved on. I think Andrew makes a very good point. The people who serve in the SAS, so now the vast majority of which have had no connection with our prior engagements overseas, in Afghanistan or Iraq. Richard, the Defence Minister and myself went and visited them last year, great people doing great things in the Australian uniform wearing the Australian flag on behalf of our nation.

ANDREW HASTIE: Yeah, that's right. And Gary, just as a final point, it was, it was a considered a procedure of the United States Government, when they're working closely with partners like Australia, that when something like this happens when the report was handed down, they reach out to their partners, and they raise concerns and the Morrison Government at the time was setting up the Office Of The Special Investigator and taking other action, and that was sufficient to resolve the issue. Again, some Senators like to make a lot of noise and this amplifies some issues. And unfortunately, once again, good men and women of the SAS are being dragged through the mud because some people want a bit of sunshine in Canberra.

MINISTER KEOGH: And I think I've just got to say, Gary, I think it's pretty clear with the announcements that have been ongoing. Since before we were in Government and since we're in Government, the relationship between Australia and the United States between our Defence Force and their Defence Force could not be stronger and more aligned. And that's only a good thing.

GARY ADSHEAD: Thanks chaps, that was Matt Keogh and Andrew Hastie.

END

Authorised by The Hon Matt Keogh MP.

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