Defence Minister has let down our Defence Personnel and he must go: Sophie

03-March-2009

Federal Liberal Member for Indi, Sophie Mirabella MP has joined calls from Leader of the Opposition Malcolm Turnbull MP, for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to sack Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon.

Mrs Mirabella has labelled Minister Fitzgibbon’s handling of the SAS Pay bungle an “absolute disgrace” and a sad indictment on a Government that clearly doesn’t care about or appreciate the fine and noble work performed by our troops.

“For Australian troops who sacrifice so much for our country and our nation’s wellbeing to be docked of pay and exposed to debt recovery whilst they are serving overseas and their families are left penniless back in Australia, is utterly unacceptable,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“The Minister clearly has failed the most basic of his duties, to stand up for Defence personnel and their families.”

“The Minister has let down our soldiers in the most outrageous of ways. Our Soldiers spend significant amounts of time on the front line of battle away from their familles and the Minister clearly doesn’t appreciate or acknowledge this,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“The Australian troops are fine men and women, they experience so much and to have in some cases pay slips of $0 being sent to their families and flagging resignations due to financial constraints is a shocking situation indeed.”

“The Opposition revealed the Minister’s bungle in October and Mr Fitzgibbon said he would order the debt recovery to stop and he would address the problem,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“However it is now the case, that soldier’s and their families have contacted the Opposition to report more pay docking’s despite the Minister declaring he had fixed the problem.”

“The Minister is either incompetent or spineless. He has either lied to the Australia Defence Personnel and their familles, or he is completely unable to take control of his department. If he cannot do his job than he should resign so the Defence Department can have a Minister who can do the job,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“Mr Fitzgibbon’s handling of this matter is completely unacceptable, he hasn’t been honest or in charge of this situation. It is now up to Mr Rudd to show some leadership and backbone and demonstrate his “Ministerial Code of Conduct” wasn’t just another hoax, but he is actually serious about credibility and accountability in Government. Mr Rudd must sack Joel Fitzgibbon,” Mrs Mirabella concluded.