Defence Minister Fitzgibbon and conflict of interest

Written 09/06/2009

Following the resignation of Joel Fitzgibbon as Defence Minister, this letter from MAPW EO Nancy Atkin was published in the The Age:

Joel Fitzgibbon has stood down over conflicts of interest. But his failure to understand such conflicts was already clear in the Minister’s handling of the Defence White Paper process.

Fitzgibbon appointed former Labor Senator Stephen Loosely to chair the Community Consultation that was designed to inform the White Paper. But Loosely is a director of major arms company Thales in Australia. Loosely’s ‘consultation’ was dismissive of the vast majority of community submissions which called for reduced spending on armaments. However his panel held private talks with representatives of weapons manufacturers.

Let's hope that the incoming Minister revisits this flawed process.