Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CANBERRA524
2009-06-04 07:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Canberra
Cable title:
AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE MINISTER FITZGIBBON RESIGNS
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CANBERRA 000524
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2019
TAGS: PREL PINS PINR AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE MINISTER FITZGIBBON RESIGNS
CANBERRA 00000524 001.4 OF 002
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Daniel A. Clune. Reasons: 1.4 (b)(c).
SUMMARY
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CANBERRA 000524
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2019
TAGS: PREL PINS PINR AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE MINISTER FITZGIBBON RESIGNS
CANBERRA 00000524 001.4 OF 002
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Daniel A. Clune. Reasons: 1.4 (b)(c).
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C/NF) Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon resigned June 4
over an apparent conflict of interest involving his brother's
private health insurance company. The embattled minister had
been under pressure following earlier revelations of
undeclared gifts from a Chinese businesswoman and free
accommodation provided by his brother's company. PM Rudd
accepted the resignation, noting the importance of
maintaining the highest standards of government
accountability, and pledged to have a new defense minister in
place quickly. Depending on who might be tapped to take up
the complex portfolio, a larger cabinet reshuffle may be in
the offing. End summary.
2. (SBU) Prime Minister Rudd called a news conference just
before Parliamentary question time June 4 to announce he had
accepted the resignation of Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon.
In a written letter to the PM, Fitzgibbon acknowledged he
may have violated the Rudd government's Code of Conduct for
ministers following the disclosure by the Shadow Defence
Minister David Johnston in Parliament the previous evening
that Fitzgibbon had permitted his brother, Mark Fitzgibbon,
who heads private health insurance company NIB, along with a
representative of the U.S. health company Humana, to meet
Minister for Veterans' Affairs Alan Griffin and Minister for
Defence Science and Personnel Warren Snowden in Fitzgibbon's
ministerial office with Fitzgibbon's staff members to pursue
an Australian Department of Defence contract. Fitzgibbon had
initially denied the claim.
3. (SBU) In his press remarks, Rudd praised Fitzgibbon as a
"first-class defense minister," citing his accomplishments in
withdrawing combat forces from Iraq, addressing the new
strategic challenges in the Afghanistan-Pakistan theater, and
overseeing the Defence White Paper. At the same time,
however, Rudd stressed that his government expected the
highest standards of conduct and accountability. He promised
to name a new defense minister before the next Afghanistan
Regional Command - South (RC-South) meeting, but gave no hint
when an announcement could be expected.
4. (SBU) Fitzgibbon had been under pressure, not only from
the Opposition bench but also from the Prime Minister
himself, over earlier conduct involving undeclared gifts. On
June 2, just two days earlier, for example, Fitzgibbon had
been forced to issue a public apology over having failed to
declare free accommodation provided by his brother's company.
In March, he was forced to acknowledge having received free
air tickets to China and other gifts from Sydney-based
businesswoman Helen Liu. The latter incident, involving
media claims -- emphatically denied by the GOA -- that
Qmedia claims -- emphatically denied by the GOA -- that
Fitzgibbon's relationship with Liu was the subject of a
secret internal ADOD probe, had continued to fuel controversy
over Fitzgibbon's ethics and judgement.
COMMENT
--------------
5. (C/NF) While PM Rudd insisted that the decision to resign
was Fitzgibbon's alone, it is telling that he dispatched his
chief aide, Alistair Jordan, and Senator Faulker, Special
Minister of State and Cabinet Secretary, to meet with
Fitzgibbon early on the morning of June 4, prior to
production of the resignation letter.
6. (C/NF) Given the complexity and size of the Defence
portfolio, and the critical importance of managing its
transformation along the lines set out in the recent Defence
White Paper, PM Rudd may well call on an experienced front
bencher to fill the Defence Minister role. This would
inevitably lead to a reshuffle, giving Rudd a chance to
CANBERRA 00000524 002.6 OF 002
replace some of the weaker performers and reward promising
up-and-comers, possibly including perhaps Assistant Treasurer
Chris Bowen or back-bencher Mark Arbib. Possible candidates
to succeed Fitzgibbon include Greg Combet, who was
Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement until
recently when he was moved to the Water portfolio; Mike
Kelly, currently Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support;
Robert McClelland, currently Attorney-General but previously
Shadow Defence Minister; and Senator John Faulkner. We do
not expect to see any diminution of the close mil-mil
relationship or impact on the alliance as a result of the
Defence Minister's resignation.
CLUNE
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2019
TAGS: PREL PINS PINR AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE MINISTER FITZGIBBON RESIGNS
CANBERRA 00000524 001.4 OF 002
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Daniel A. Clune. Reasons: 1.4 (b)(c).
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C/NF) Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon resigned June 4
over an apparent conflict of interest involving his brother's
private health insurance company. The embattled minister had
been under pressure following earlier revelations of
undeclared gifts from a Chinese businesswoman and free
accommodation provided by his brother's company. PM Rudd
accepted the resignation, noting the importance of
maintaining the highest standards of government
accountability, and pledged to have a new defense minister in
place quickly. Depending on who might be tapped to take up
the complex portfolio, a larger cabinet reshuffle may be in
the offing. End summary.
2. (SBU) Prime Minister Rudd called a news conference just
before Parliamentary question time June 4 to announce he had
accepted the resignation of Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon.
In a written letter to the PM, Fitzgibbon acknowledged he
may have violated the Rudd government's Code of Conduct for
ministers following the disclosure by the Shadow Defence
Minister David Johnston in Parliament the previous evening
that Fitzgibbon had permitted his brother, Mark Fitzgibbon,
who heads private health insurance company NIB, along with a
representative of the U.S. health company Humana, to meet
Minister for Veterans' Affairs Alan Griffin and Minister for
Defence Science and Personnel Warren Snowden in Fitzgibbon's
ministerial office with Fitzgibbon's staff members to pursue
an Australian Department of Defence contract. Fitzgibbon had
initially denied the claim.
3. (SBU) In his press remarks, Rudd praised Fitzgibbon as a
"first-class defense minister," citing his accomplishments in
withdrawing combat forces from Iraq, addressing the new
strategic challenges in the Afghanistan-Pakistan theater, and
overseeing the Defence White Paper. At the same time,
however, Rudd stressed that his government expected the
highest standards of conduct and accountability. He promised
to name a new defense minister before the next Afghanistan
Regional Command - South (RC-South) meeting, but gave no hint
when an announcement could be expected.
4. (SBU) Fitzgibbon had been under pressure, not only from
the Opposition bench but also from the Prime Minister
himself, over earlier conduct involving undeclared gifts. On
June 2, just two days earlier, for example, Fitzgibbon had
been forced to issue a public apology over having failed to
declare free accommodation provided by his brother's company.
In March, he was forced to acknowledge having received free
air tickets to China and other gifts from Sydney-based
businesswoman Helen Liu. The latter incident, involving
media claims -- emphatically denied by the GOA -- that
Qmedia claims -- emphatically denied by the GOA -- that
Fitzgibbon's relationship with Liu was the subject of a
secret internal ADOD probe, had continued to fuel controversy
over Fitzgibbon's ethics and judgement.
COMMENT
--------------
5. (C/NF) While PM Rudd insisted that the decision to resign
was Fitzgibbon's alone, it is telling that he dispatched his
chief aide, Alistair Jordan, and Senator Faulker, Special
Minister of State and Cabinet Secretary, to meet with
Fitzgibbon early on the morning of June 4, prior to
production of the resignation letter.
6. (C/NF) Given the complexity and size of the Defence
portfolio, and the critical importance of managing its
transformation along the lines set out in the recent Defence
White Paper, PM Rudd may well call on an experienced front
bencher to fill the Defence Minister role. This would
inevitably lead to a reshuffle, giving Rudd a chance to
CANBERRA 00000524 002.6 OF 002
replace some of the weaker performers and reward promising
up-and-comers, possibly including perhaps Assistant Treasurer
Chris Bowen or back-bencher Mark Arbib. Possible candidates
to succeed Fitzgibbon include Greg Combet, who was
Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement until
recently when he was moved to the Water portfolio; Mike
Kelly, currently Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support;
Robert McClelland, currently Attorney-General but previously
Shadow Defence Minister; and Senator John Faulkner. We do
not expect to see any diminution of the close mil-mil
relationship or impact on the alliance as a result of the
Defence Minister's resignation.
CLUNE