Tue, 26th February 2008

Fitzgibbon's Shambolic Approach to Military Aircraft

Senator the Hon Nick Minchin
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Shadow Minister for Defence

Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon’s latest utterances on military aircraft reflect a completely shambolic approach to Australia’s air defences, Shadow Defence Minister Nick Minchin said today.

“Mr Fitzgibbon and the Labor Party have been constant and incessant critics of the former Coalition Government’s decision to acquire Super Hornet aircraft” said Senator Minchin.

On 15 March 2007, Joel Fitzgibbon said “The Super Hornet purchase is a $6 billion taxpayer funded election year fix. It’s a patchup job.”

“Despite clear evidence that Defence itself strongly supports the Super Hornet decision, Labor has played cheap party politics to attack the Howard Government decision.

“Labor set up an Air Capability Review presumably as a pretext to scrap the Super Hornet contract.

“Mr Fitzgibbon said only last week he “would have no hesitation in cancelling” the Super Hornet contract if that’s what his review advises.

“Yet today on ABC Radio Mr Fitzgibbon said “I am really hoping that the air combat review recommends that we retain the Super Hornet.”

“Mr Fitzgibbon’s erratic and clumsy statements on this vital air capability acquisition are an embarrassment to the Rudd Government and to Australia and its international reputation.

“The Howard Government decision to acquire the Super Hornet is backed “100%” by Defence, as confirmed by the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Houston, in Senate Estimates last week.

“Mr Fitzgibbon has been playing a dangerous and irresponsible political game with Australia’s air defences.

“He would be well advised to keep his mouth shut until his air capability review is completed and then back its inevitable conclusion that the acquisition of the Super Hornet and the JSF are the right decisions for Australia” said Senator Minchin.