The Greens have accused Labor and the Liberal Party of working together to establish a parliamentary defence committee that would operate largely behind closed doors.
The criticism follows the introduction of the Defence Amendment Bill, which proposes the creation of a new committee expected to examine defence policy and issues linked to the AUKUS security partnership.
Greens senator David Shoebridge said the structure of the proposed committee would exclude minor parties and crossbench MPs.
According to Shoebridge, membership would be restricted to representatives from Labor and the Liberal Party, with the prime minister holding effective control over who is appointed.
He argued that parliamentary committees should reflect the broader makeup of parliament and allow scrutiny from a wider range of political voices.
Shoebridge said this was particularly important given the scale of Australia’s defence spending over the coming decade.
He warned that limiting participation in oversight bodies could reduce transparency around defence policy and spending decisions.
The senator said the Greens want representation on the committee to ensure broader parliamentary oversight of major defence initiatives.
1 Comment
I would strongly opposed a committee that does not represent all Australian voters. As the two major parties mover closer together in their policies those of us who are represent alternate views would be locked out of any negotiation or consultation, as we would have no idea of all the arguments that have been explored and resolved in committee. Half informed is as good as uninformed in those circumstances.