Defence Consultation shows major bias: MAPW

On Wednesday 15 April, the Department of Defence released the report on its Defence White Paper Community Consultation: Looking over the horizon: Australians consider defence.

MAPW, as a participant in good faith in the Consultation, is extremely concerned about the integrity of this report.

We believe it demonstrates major bias both in the way the consultation was conducted, and in the reporting of the consultation.

MAPW has written an initial response, and will raise our concerns with the Minister of Defence.

A flawed process

At the time of the Consultation MAPW was among civil society organisations who questioned:

• The conflict of interest of the Panel chair, Stephen Loosely, as a Director of one of Australia’s major armaments manufacturer Thales
• The lack of expertise on the Panel, on peaceful resolution of conflict

The Panel received many expert submissions from organisations including from MAPW and ICANⁱ representing thousands of Australians, raising the need to prioritise peaceful resolution of conflict; and the need to remove Australia from the “US nuclear umbrella” as a step towards a world free of nuclear weapons.

MAPW, writing on behalf of 600 members, is not listed in the report as making a submission. (Our submission was listed as being by our President Dr Sue Wareham). Many organisational submissions were similarly mis-described.

While submissions from civil society organisations were disregarded or dismissed as “form letters” or “interest groups”, defence community and industry organisations were invited to private meetings with the panel.

The content

In the report, views supporting sustained or increased military spending are highlighted. Views or evidence suggesting decreased spending, or promoting peace-making and diplomatic resolution of conflict are buried in the report or ignored.

The report does illustrate that, in the context of Australia's defence strategy:

• Support for increased defence spending has dropped dramatically
• There is widespread concern about nuclear weapons
• There is widespread concern about climate change
• There is little concern about terrorism
• Many people want a reduction in the environmental impact of the Defence Department

The massive drop in support for increased defence spending from 75% in 2000, to 30% in 2008 is described as “. . . overall, less support ”.

The report confuses local industry supplying the Australian forces; and Australia’s export arms industry.

It nowhere mentions the critique from MAPW and other submissions of Australia’s role in promoting the global arms trade, and its effect on health and security.

Delay in release
The report is dated December 2008 but was not released until 15 April. MAPW has not yet been notified of its release.

Links:

• The report
• MAPW's initial response
• Media "doorstop" with Joel Fitzgibbon, Minister for Defence and Stephen Loosely, (Wednesday 15 April). Note here the anecdote told by Stephen Loosely demeaning anti-war activists, which calls further into question his appropriateness as chair of a community consultation.