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March 12th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda <!–
The chief of Defence General David Hurley says he has a good working relationship with the Defence Minister Stephen Smith despite a difference of views over the Skype sex scandal. General Hurley says former senior officers are entitled to their views of Minister Smith but it’s not Defence’s job to dismiss ministers.
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MARK COLVIN: Australia’s chief of Defence says he has a good working relationship with the Defence Minister despite their recent disagreement over the handling of the Skype sex scandal.
Over the past week some of the military’s most senior retired officers have criticised Stephen Smith for his handling of the scandal.
The former chief of army, Peter Leahy, said the episode had diminished his legitimacy as Minister, and Major General John Cantwell said Mr Smith had no respect for the men and women of the ADF (Australian Defence Force).
But the Defence chief, David Hurley, says that while those men are entitled to their views their comments do not reflect the Minister’s relationship with the top brass.
Gillian Bradford began by asking General Hurley about the American soldier who massacred 16 Afghan villagers in their homes.
DAVID HURLEY: I think this is just a terrible tragedy from all points of view for the Afghan people and for the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) countries.
It does obviously make this, the degree of difficulty of there’s a diving competition it’s just gone up a couple of points. And compounded with the recent incidents of the burning of the Koran, these will pose significant challenges I think in the relationships with the Afghan people.
But in the past I think we’ve demonstrated that with the right combination of discussions, the right way of engaging with the population and a proper explanation as to what’s occurred we can move forward through this.
GILLILAN BRADFORD: But we’re on the way out. The US the UK, Australia, they’re all heading for the exit door and the Guardian newspaper posed the question today: what are foreign troops doing on the front line other than to prolong the misery? Do you acknowledge Australia will leave and not be able to say we left behind a stable Afghanistan?
DAVID HURLEY: I think the terminology you’ve used is quite wrong.
We’re in the process of transitioning to security responsibility, or the lead for security to the Afghan government, through its own sovereign forces. If you were to walk out today, you can’t do that. They need to be brought to that position. So over the last number of years ISAF/NATO with assistance from the Afghan National Security Forces, have fought hard to position ourselves to allow that transition to sovereignty to occur. And that won’t occur until the end of December 2014, that’s what we’re working for.
GILLILAN BRADFORD: General Hurley how would you describe your relationship with the Defence Minister, Stephen Smith?
DAVID HURLEY: I was on the phone with him today. My relationship with the Minister is a professional, good working relationship. We recognise that there are some significant issues facing Defence into the future; we’ve covered a couple of those last week.
GILLILAN BRADFORD: An extraordinary roll call then of some Defence’s most senior former officers have lined up to criticise the Minister. Former army chief, Peter Leahy, say his conduct has diminished his legitimacy as minister; Major General Jim Molan claims no minister has ever been held in such low esteem; Major General John Cantwell says the Minister has no respect for the men and women serving in the ADF. Do any of these men reflect your views?
DAVID HURLEY: The critical point here Gillian is my working relationship with the Minister, not someone who’s no longer serving with the ADF. I mean they’re entitled to their view, I know everyone of those officers you’ve mentioned.
But the critical thing here is I need to work with the Minister for the interest of Australia to make sure the Defence organisation, and particularly the ADF is meeting what the Government requires of it, is well equipped, well led and doing the job.
GILLILAN BRADFORD: Do none of these men reflect the views then of the top brass within Defence? Can you honestly say their views do not reflect the views of the top brass?
DAVID HURLEY: The senior leadership in the ADF, that’s me, the vice-chief, the service chiefs and so forth, are aligned in joining with me and ensuring that we get for the Defence organisation what it needs to do its job; has a constructive relationship with the Minister, and keeps working on that relationship through.
And there will be difficult issues, I mean we would be fooling ourselves, and I think the Australian people would think we’re fooling ourselves, if we think that every issue is plain sailing. I mean we will often start with different points of view from where government might think they’re going and what we might think relevant. You’ve got to bring those views together. That’s what the business is about.
GILLILAN BRADFORD: So on that matter, does the commandant, the ADFA (Australian Defence Force Academy) commandant, Bruce Kafer, have your full support?
DAVID HURLEY: The commandant of ADFA, Commodore Kafer, has my full support to do the job, yes.
GILLILAN BRADFORD: Does he need the full support of the Minister to do his job?
DAVID HURLEY: The Minister’s expressed his view, that he’s got confidence in my judgement as the CDF to determine which individuals are the appropriate individuals to do particular jobs in the ADF and Commodore Kafer is the person for ADFA at the moment.
GILLILAN BRADFORD: There’s one version of the Kirkham Report which you and the Minister have spoken about publicly. Then there’s another version which has been leaked to Channel Ten, they are very different. Which version should the public believe?
DAVID HURLEY: Gillian let me tell you very clearly, there is only version of the Kirkham Report, there is no secret version, there is no other version, there is one. And that is the report that we took our action from.
GILLILAN BRADFORD: So Channel Ten reported that “Commodore Kafer could and should have foreseen that”, they’re quoting from the unedited version of the report as they quote, but “Commodore Kafer could have and should have foreseen that Kate would have suffered unnecessary distress because of his actions; that he failed to enquire as to whether Kate”, this cadet at the centre, “wanted the disciplinary matter to be delayed. The inquiry finds this failure unfortunate.”
This has not been made public, but this is the unedited version. Are you saying that this is wrong?
DAVID HURLEY: There is only one report, that’s an extract. And I think you’ve seen in the press two possibly three extracts, sentences, from that 200-page document. In the balance of all the evidence Mr Kirkham came up with the findings he came up with.
GILLILAN BRADFORD: Are you saying this, what I’m quoting to you there, was not
DAVID HURLEY: I’m not saying that’s wrong at all. That’s a quote from the report. But in the balance of evidence, 200 pages, many witnesses, Mr Kirkham came up with the findings he came up with.
GILLILAN BRADFORD: This makes for a critically different viewpoint on how Commodore Kafer handled this entire matter. Redacting that part in what you released to the public, why could these words, with names blacked out, not be released?
DAVID HURLEY: If you pick that point you get a version. If you go back a week you’ll get another version. So we didn’t release the whole report because it just goes to the heart of so many personal issues.
GILLILAN BRADFORD: Are you disappointed this version was leaked?
DAVID HURLEY: What I’m disappointed in is that people are working on bits of the story, so what you’ve got I know where that came from but
GILLILAN BRADFORD: Where did it come from?
DAVID HURLEY: It came from, probably from letters that were sent to each of the personnel who were affected by, or could have been affected by the inquiry. And that’s a normal part of the process. We write to them to say this inquiry’s found this; these are the issues you should be aware of.
GILLILAN BRADFORD: Are you saying in light of all the criticism that has been made, as I said, by some of the most senior officers, former serving officers in Defence, an extraordinary roll call of people lining up to criticise the Minister, some saying he should go, that they are not speaking and representing a very disenchanted Defence Force?
DAVID HURLEY: It’s not the Defence Organisation or the Defence Force’s job to dismiss ministers. My job is to follow the direction of the government of the day and bring the ADF and help the secretary within the Defence in line to complete and implement government policy.
That’s what we’re about. We’re not a political organisation. We don’t have a voice in the politics of the country. We do the job we’re asked to do.
GILLILAN BRADFORD: So would you wish that these former senior officers would back off a little in their criticism of the Minister?
DAVID HURLEY: No they’re entitled to say what they like to say. I mean that’s part of the process. Just as we have a free press they’re allowed to participate. It is not my job to do that.
MARK COLVIN: The chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley, speaking to Gillian Bradford.
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