So what if I just say a few things and then answer some questions. I’ve come to inspect the production line for the new Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter for the Australian Army and to particularly look at the first of the aircraft which will be transferred to the Australian Army by the end of this year, in fact on time. We expect to have two aircraft by the end of the year at Oakey undergoing training for the Australian forces. We’re buying, as you know 22 aircraft, four are being manufactured here in France and the balance are being assembled in Brisbane, although not necessarily in that order because three are already in Brisbane being assembled. The one we have behind us of course was assembled here and that’s number one. Two things are particularly pleasing. The first is that this contract which has been extremely complex is being delivered on schedule. It’s on time. It’s on capability, meeting the designated capabilities and it’s also within cost. So getting close to the date at which the first of the helicopters will be delivered to the Australian forces it’s looking like a huge success and I think it’s important to acknowledge that. In acknowledging it, I obviously want to recognise the Australian team that are over here and those back in Australia in the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation and elsewhere who have done a great job and to also recognise Eurocopter, they’ve been good partners in this project and have met our requirements and that’s what we like to see from Australian industry. The third point that is particularly important from my perspective is it will provide a huge boost in capability to the Australian Army. We’ve never had a helicopter with this sort of capability with the 30mm cannon, with the rockets and with the Hellfire missiles. You can see it can carry up to eight Hellfire missiles at the one time. So in terms of our overall program which is boosting the capability of the Australian Army, what General Leahy refers to as "hardening the Army", this is a very significant part of that hardening process. And it’s going to be very, very popular within the Australian forces and a very significant asset for them.

Senator, in relation to that hardening process, why the Tiger? Why is it needed? Is it because of a changing threat?

I think in Army terms you should probably ask Army. But as it is explained to me, General Leahy talks about his combined arms, his teams working together. And what he needs is a helicopter that can go out in advance of those teams that’s quite heavily armed with a range of different capabilities that can be reporting back in its reconnaissance role but also when necessary take on an offensive role and do that task very capably as well. We’ve never had a helicopter in the Australian infantry that can carry out those tasks so if you look at a combined arms team for the Australian Army it’s a significant capability component within that team.

Is there though, has there been …?

So not so much has changed in the strategic environment but a capability that the Australian Army have always wanted but with which they haven’t ever been provided in the past. So we, without blushing, we like to think this is the best helicopter of its type in the world. It’s certainly the most advanced helicopter of its type in the world and it’s good to see that the Australian Army is getting the best.

The Australian customisation of this helicopter means that it hasn’t been fully tested yet. Is there any risk that the Australian government is exposing some public finances to a system that could yet fail in the field?

We don’t think so. Every test that’s been set so far has been passed. And it is true that it has components that aren’t on the French model to meet our particular requirements. We’re integrating the rockets with the Hellfire missile for example but it's passing all tests and I don’t really have any worries about that now. I think we’re passed that stage which is again a credit to those who are making it work.

There has been some criticism in the past of various ADF acquisitions. How do you think this one will be viewed in the long term?

Well as I said it’s been a remarkable success. But interestingly, most of the recent acquisitions are going well. You think of our Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft, which is a hugely complex project in the United States. That project also is on time, within budget and achieving capabilities. So that’s why I know there have been what we call legacy problems, problems with legacy projects. But if we look at the recent ones, notwithstanding that they are state-of-the-art and that they are highly complex, the capabilities are being achieved on time and within price. That’s what I say is a credit to our acquisition people and our capability people but it’s also a credit to our industry partners who recognise that Australia has got the right to expect the product that it’s paying for, at the time that we’re paying for it and are able to provide that outcome.

Most of them will be stationed in the north. Why is that?

They will be stationed based at Robertson just outside, out of Darwin and I think that’s because they are integrated with the 1^st Brigade in their operations. I think it is also part of this combined arms environment. So the training will be done at Oakey in Queensland and the basing will be in the Northern Territory.

Will they be involved at all in patrols along Australia’s northern border?

Well, no. Well they could be but …

Not on a regular basis?

… but no, they are really being bought to work with the broader Army and military forces in the event of operations. But they have got a very good reconnaissance role but there are probably cheaper alternatives. This is a very, very sophisticated weapons platform and it’s one that you would use in very serious circumstances, but it’s one we haven’t had in the past and we’ll have it now in the future.

Minister, has there been any more thinking by the government on how long Australia’s troop will remain in Iraq?

We constantly think about these issues and as the Prime Minister has said they’ll stay as long as we believe it’s necessary for them to complete their task. The stabilisation and reconstruction of Iraq is a difficult and complex task. It was always going to take some time and clearly it’s got a way to go. We’re very proud of what Australia’s contributing, the niche capabilities that we’re contributing to the benefit of the Iraqi people and to the benefit of the wider international community including ourselves in ensuring that what comes out of Iraq is a stable and democratic Iraq that’ll be a positive contributor to the international community, one that isn’t a threat. So that’s why they’re there. We think it’s a very important task and we acknowledge that they will have to be there for some time.

Would you be facing increased pressure to bring them back early because of other countries’ decisions to do the same and other countries that are currently wavering on that same question?

No. Spain made a decision but they took that as an election promise and obviously the Prime Minister wanted to keep his promise after the election. In the case of Honduras, they were part of the Spanish brigade. I don’t – okay so that reduces it from 35 to 33 countries. But that in international experience, to have 33 countries in a coalition is a very big coalition. And I think all of those that remain, certainly the vast majority of those that remain will stay there and see the task out.

Finally Senator are you able to tell us a little bit about what you will be doing in Iraq next week?

I go there firstly to see Australian forces and thank them for what they are doing. It’ll be my third visit there since the end of the major combat phase. And I also make an assessment of progress so I’ll talk to the Iraqi government council about transition, the transition to the interim government which is to take place from 1 July. I’ll talk to the Americans and the CPA about their progress. Basically I’ll look at how the country is going about the task of reconstruction, building its economy and getting on with life. And obviously in light of what’s happened in the last couple of weeks, I’ll be interested in a range of discussions about the difficulties that have occurred in that period, the problems in Falluja. The problems at least with a small element of the Shia and that enables me to go back and with that knowledge contribute to our discussions at home.

So it could prompt a reassessment of the Australian presence there?

I’m not expecting that because it’s more fine tuning. What we’ve always said is that we want to ensure that our force elements are those that can best meet the most important of the tasks so in the last few months we’ve put a particular emphasis on helping build the new Iraqi army and build the new Iraqi navy. So we’ve identified those tasks that we are well qualified to fill and within the overall size of our force, we’ve provided those extra niche capabilities so it’s that fine tuning sort of thing that’s particularly useful in a visit like this.

Senator, has Colonel Collins been formally gagged and told not to speak to the media?

Not that I know of. That’s a military issue. They, military officers are under certain restraints that don’t necessarily apply to the rest of us in the wider community. So subject to – I don’t think there’s anything new in that, they are the normal rules of service.

But you don’t know of any such direction to him?

No.

But you’re saying that if it has happened it’s a matter of military …

Well if it’s a - as I said, there are restraints anyway. You know, a military officer is not for me to just go out and participate in a public debate on something that might relate to that military officer’s service for example. Now that can be varied away by those higher in the chain of command but I don’t know whether he’s asked to, if that’s what you’re putting to me, or whether he’s been counselled against it. I’m just not a part of that.

He’s called for the annexes to the three reports in his case to be released. Will they be?

Well I understand that’s being looked at at the moment. I think some of the annexes are actually, were actually his submissions so I am a bit puzzled by that request, because obviously if they are his submissions he’s already got them. But whatever he’s called for we are currently in Canberra looking to see whether we can meet that request.

Who’s looking at that?

My office and Defence.

Right. Perhaps …

So the test we normally apply, a test related to legal constraints or privacy constraints, and that was what we would be applying to this particular request.

And finally why shouldn’t he get a medal for his service in East Timor?

Ah well that’s a question for General Cosgrove. There’s a few things that I don’t meddle in and one of those is the military’s determination or advice on the issuing of medals. And that’s for them. Okay, thanks.