Defence Minister Smith lacks respect for our Diggers

Garpal Gumnut · 11 March 2012

Rarely have I seen a SMH article so critical of a serving government minister, as retired Major-General John Cantwell's recent assessment of Minister Stephen Smith.

It would appear that Smith has a problem with this portfolio. I am told that he is a capable fellow, but if this story is corroborated by others who have had dealings with him, he can only be a liability to our forces in the ADF, serving in difficult areas of the world.

His ministerial colleagues and the PM need to find him a portfolio such as Global Warming or Sport. There he can play the TV cycle game, engage in politics, and not harm the morale of our serving members of the ADF. Should he stuff up in Sport or Warming, it would make little difference really to Australia, save a few medals lost in a Games here or there.

It's all about respect. Does the Defence Minister, Stephen Smith, respect the men and women of the Australian Defence Force? Regrettably, the answer appears to be ''no''.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/polit...th-minister-20120309-1upmu.html#ixzz1oneX8gbj

That same day I escorted Smith to one of our forward patrol bases, which were established when we expanded our operations into an area previously covered by Dutch and French troops, who had recently departed. The CO of the mentoring taskforce had sensibly rebalanced his force to cover the new territory. But the Australian and Afghan troops there had been in constant and occasionally heavy contact with the enemy. They were under the pump.

We gathered the dirty, tired Diggers together at the end of Smith's tour. Media crews travelling with the minister turned on their cameras and he made a lacklustre speech clearly pitched at the audience back home. He talked ''at'' the soldiers, not to them. He then turned to walk back to the helicopter pad. ''Minister,'' I said, ''perhaps you might take a couple of questions from the soldiers before you go?'' The look I got in response was poisonous. ''Well, are there any questions?'' he asked the soldiers.

''Yes, sir,'' one said. ''We got moved out here earlier than we were supposed to and we're spread a bit thin on the ground. Can we get some additional troops sent out from Australia?'' It was a reasonable question, at least from the perspective of a soldier fighting in a scrubby valley in Afghanistan. Smith launched into a long spiel about supporting the coalition and fighting terrorism and building capacity in the Afghan security forces and making a contribution and all the phrases that work well in Canberra. It didn't work so well when delivered to blokes who would soon start another patrol along paths hiding improvised bombs designed to kill them. There were no other questions.

Walking towards the helicopter for the ride back to Tarin Kowt, Smith said to me, ''Don't set me up with unscheduled questions like that again''. He was not happy.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/polit...th-minister-20120309-1upmu.html#ixzz1onfnc4tC

If on the other hand, the retired general's impression is wrong, we need to have some good news stories from his Department on his role in the post of Defence Minister, and perhaps some journalists or retired soldiers who can argue against the general's view, in Smith's support.

Please read the whole article in the SMH.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/polit...s-both-ways-with-minister-20120309-1upmu.html

I have not been as troubled, by an article about a serving minister, for some time.

gg

Glen48 · 11 March 2012

I read were a major sponsor of the Circle has puled out after the VC indecent, am assuming unless you have had some connection with ADF you will not appreciate what life is life for the members, I also assume Mr. Smith thinks ADF is a waste of money when more important issues need to be dealt with, when in fact it is a portfolio for some one with a military back ground even some one who has been a senior Boy Scout or Girl Guide and knows a little about discipline and regulations should be the Minister .

Logique · 12 March 2012

The retired Major-General writes well, and his forthcoming book will be an interesting read. Stephen Smith is probably not in the best frame of mind, having been shunted out of Foreign Affairs twice, for Rudd and then for Carr. Both times ending up back in Defence.

It seems the relationship between Smith and Defence has broken down irretrieveably. Time for Smith to move to another Ministry. Any other Ministry. The behaviour as described by Cantwell is unacceptable for an Australian Minister for Defence.

The personal qualities for a Labor pollie aren't always compatible with the corresponding set for a Defence officer. What about the description of Joel Fitzgibbon '..He was an auto-electrician in a suit.'

Disclosure: no connection to Defence.

Uncle Festivus · 12 March 2012

Simple - the ADF needs to be accountable. Any minister who get's close to altering the status quo suddenly becomes the target of smear campaigns and dirty dossiers.

rumpole · 12 March 2012

Stephen Smith may not like being moved out of Foreign Affairs twice, but he's got an important portfolio to do and he has to do it well. If he walks away from the job with bad feeling between himself and the ADF he should be regarded as a failure, which would obviously affect his further prospects.

If the story about the short shrift he gave soldiers in A'ghan is true, he doesn't deserve the job and he should be moved, which in itself would be a vote of no confidence in him.

Dressdown · 12 March 2012

Uncle Festivus said:
Simple - the ADF needs to be accountable. Any minister who get's close to altering the status quo suddenly becomes the target of smear campaigns and dirty dossiers.

If minister smith want to take over the RSM's job at ADFA and start directing traffic on the parade ground he should, at very least, acquire the compenticies for that role. He clearly does not possess the relevant skills and attitudes at the moment. His foray into that grubby little affair reveal much about his attitude towards the ADF and his complete disregard for due procees and protocol. And the man is supposed to be a lawyer! It would appear that his is no good as a defence minister or a lawyer.

lindsayf · 12 March 2012

Thanks Uncle Festivus - my thoughts exactly. Then it seems everyone joins in with 'aggrieved' ADF honchos who couldnt possibly be involved in anything dodgy could they. The aura of the 'national protectors' it seems is above all reproach.

Garpal Gumnut · 12 March 2012

Uncle Festivus said:
Simple - the ADF needs to be accountable. Any minister who get's close to altering the status quo suddenly becomes the target of smear campaigns and dirty dossiers.

lindsayf said:
Thanks Uncle Festivus - my thoughts exactly. Then it seems everyone joins in with 'aggrieved' ADF honchos who couldnt possibly be involved in anything dodgy could they. The aura of the 'national protectors' it seems is above all reproach.

You two jokers just don't get it do you, we are not talking about a Climate Change Minister's relationship with the local crusties or scientists looking for a free handout.

This minister's strained relationship with the ADF is his responsibility, and his alone.

You have probably never kipled, but I got this from a book on Kipling.

Yes, makin’ mock o’ uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an’ they’re starvation cheap;
An’ hustlin’ drunken soldiers when they’re goin’ large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin’ in full kit.
Then it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, ’ow’s yer soul?”
But it’s “Thin red line of ’eroes” when the drums begin to roll,””
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it’s ”Thin red line of ’eroes” when the drums begin to roll.

gg

Julia · 12 March 2012

Didn't all the bad feeling here arise from Mr Smith's objection to the girl who was the subject of the video having to front up for some minor disciplinary hearing the day or so after discovering she had been videoed having sex to many of her colleagues?

Didn't Mr Smith object to this, on the grounds that the girl would have been in a shocked and humiliated state, and the minor disciplinary procedure could well have been delayed?

If my understanding above is correct, then I'm with Stephen Smith. If that's how it unfolded, he's to be congratulated for showing some basic decency towards a young woman who had been humiliated in the most awful way.

Defence are apparently unused to any minister who fails to bow to their traditions, even when these are shown to be less than upstanding.

rumpole · 13 March 2012

Julia said:
Didn't all the bad feeling here arise from Mr Smith's objection to the girl who was the subject of the video having to front up for some minor disciplinary hearing the day or so after discovering she had been videoed having sex to many of her colleagues?

Didn't Mr Smith object to this, on the grounds that the girl would have been in a shocked and humiliated state, and the minor disciplinary procedure could well have been delayed?

If my understanding above is correct, then I'm with Stephen Smith. If that's how it unfolded, he's to be congratulated for showing some basic decency towards a young woman who had been humiliated in the most awful way.

Defence are apparently unused to any minister who fails to bow to their traditions, even when these are shown to be less than upstanding.

I have no problem with Smith chewing out the military when deserved, except it should be done in private and not part of some public grandstanding act to improve his own public image. Public humiliation is one thing guaranteed to poison relationships between the government and the military, and that's the last thing you want.

Dressdown · 13 March 2012

rumpole said:
I have no problem with Smith chewing out the military when deserved, except it should be done in private and not part of some public grandstanding act to improve his own public image. Public humiliation is one thing guaranteed to poison relationships between the government and the military, and that's the last thing you want.

Well said Rumpole!

explod · 13 March 2012

rumpole said:
I have no problem with Smith chewing out the military when deserved, except it should be done in private and not part of some public grandstanding act to improve his own public image. Public humiliation is one thing guaranteed to poison relationships between the government and the military, and that's the last thing you want.

Well it was the General who seemed to insist Smith take some questions. Smith may well have sensed the mood (as Julia averred to) and in the light of his feelings on a number of fronts that the least said the better in that environment.

And then we currently see on the news the shooting up of civilians by a US marine. Together with the many other stories of it tuning to cr..ola over there perhaps we need to be leaving that front altogether.

I think Smith is more astute than he is given credit for. It will be interesting to watch further political developments in Parliament on this issue.

MrBurns · 13 March 2012

He's defended himself in question time with some rubbish statement.

I object to all these clowns being referred to as "the honorable" anything, they are very ordinary unimpressive specimens at best.

rumpole · 13 March 2012

MrBurns said:
I object to all these clowns being referred to as "the honorable" anything, they are very ordinary unimpressive specimens at best.

Do you mean all the politicians or just the Labor ones ?

MrBurns · 13 March 2012

rumpole said:
Do you mean all the politicians or just the Labor ones ?

Both, with exceptions, non of which we would agree on

awg · 15 March 2012

Garpal Gumnut said:
Rarely have I seen a SMH article so critical of a serving government minister, as retired Major-General John Cantwell's recent assessment of Minister Stephen Smith.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/polit...s-both-ways-with-minister-20120309-1upmu.html

I have not been as troubled, by an article about a serving minister, for some time.

gg

I was amazed at the frankness of the criticism.
Thought it very damaging for both Smith and Fitzgibbon.

One can only imagine the difficulties that would be likely to be experienced by a minister that lacks the respect of his senior military staff.

These guys are hard men, and Smith would know (and had) a near mutiny on his hands.

While I am of course of the view that the military should not be in control of the government, but the other way around, nevertheless having a dysfunctional relationship is bad, wastes a lot of resources

Garpal Gumnut · 16 March 2012

awg said:
I was amazed at the frankness of the criticism.
Thought it very damaging for both Smith and Fitzgibbon.

One can only imagine the difficulties that would be likely to be experienced by a minister that lacks the respect of his senior military staff.

These guys are hard men, and Smith would know (and had) a near mutiny on his hands.

While I am of course of the view that the military should not be in control of the government, but the other way around, nevertheless having a dysfunctional relationship is bad, wastes a lot of resources

I find it difficult to envisage how Mr.Smith can continue in the position, given the published articles by senior past ADF member, and the reaction of present members to the handling of the Skype scandal.

It is a great shame that John Faulkner is no longer available to fill the gap.

My contacts in the ADF tell me that he was a very good and popular Defence Minister.

gg

Julia · 16 March 2012

Garpal Gumnut said:
It is a great shame that John Faulkner is no longer available to fill the gap.

Agree. The Labor Party has lost one of their strongest performers.

To keep a balance, the loss of Nick Minchin from the Libs is also a great pity.

banco · 16 March 2012

awg said:
I was amazed at the frankness of the criticism.
Thought it very damaging for both Smith and Fitzgibbon.

One can only imagine the difficulties that would be likely to be experienced by a minister that lacks the respect of his senior military staff.

These guys are hard men, and Smith would know (and had) a near mutiny on his hands.

While I am of course of the view that the military should not be in control of the government, but the other way around, nevertheless having a dysfunctional relationship is bad, wastes a lot of resources

When have they had a functional relationship? They are a notoriously 'independent' Department.

Garpal Gumnut · 16 March 2012

Julia said:
Agree. The Labor Party has lost one of their strongest performers.

To keep a balance, the loss of Nick Minchin from the Libs is also a great pity.

I couldn't agree more, Faulkner and Minchin will be missed.

Faulkner was a good opposition Senate Committee head, a good Labor warrior and minister, and a very good Defence Minister. He was pure class.

Minchin was also pure class.

gg

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