December 4, 2023
The Minister for Defence, Stephen Smith, has become the latest minister to announce his retirement.
Smith made his announcement at the end of Question Time today. He will continue as Foreign Minister until the election but will not contest his Western Australian electorate of Perth.
He has been the member for Perth since 1993 and has served in seven parliaments.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced that former NSW Premier Bob Carr is to enter the Senate and become Foreign Minister.
After several days of uncertainty and denials, the announcement came as a surprise today when Gillard announced the ministerial reshuffle arising from the resignation of Kevin Rudd and his failed leadership challenge.
Carr will fill the casual Senate vacancy created by the resignation of Mark Arbib.
The Defence Minister, Stephen Smith, has announced that Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick will lead “an examination of the treatment of women at the Australian Defence Force Academy.”
The review will include an examination of “unhealthy drinking cultures”, the impact of social media, and a “cultural stocktake” that will look at the ADF’s codes of conduct and behaviours.
The review was announced by Smith at a press conference this afternoon. He was accompanied by the Chief of the Defence Force, Angus Houston.
These are today’s briefings from Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and others on Cyclone Yasi.