Appendix C 

Letter from the Member for Herbert

8 February 2010

Senator J McLucas
Chair

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works
Parliamentary House

CANBERRA  ACT  2600

Dear Senator McLucas

On Thursday 4 February 2010, the Department of Defence provided a private briefing to the

Committee on Project Single Living Environment and Accommodation Precinct (Project Single LEAP 2).

The following day, comments attributed to me in relation to the progress of the project appeared in the Townsville Bulletin.

I accept that my comments could be seen as a breach of privilege. By way of explanation to my

colleagues, I offer these observations for their consideration.

I did not advise or approach any media and I did not issue a media release. By way of coincidence,

Bulletin journalist Tony Raggatt contacted me for an update on Single LEAP in relation to Lavarack

Barracks mindful of the community concern that there would be insufficient accommodation ready for the arrival of 3 RAR.

In the interview I gave, nothing of a commercially sensitive nature was released. In fact it is hard to argue that anything that Defence said in its briefing was commercially sensitive. No tenderers were named and no staff were named. However, I do accept that I was wrong in revealing the contents of a private briefing.

Matters such as alternative funding, the delay of the project and the need for temporary accommodation were already on the public record and had been previously reported in the Townsville Bulletin.

I ask the committee to note that I took immediate responsibility for the story at the Committee meeting this morning. I told my colleagues that I had made a mistake by talking to the journalist.

Having been so close to this project since March 2007, I thought nothing of simply updating my

community, as the local member, as to the progress of LEAP 2. In doing so, I have left the

Committee's integrity exposed. I genuinely regret that.

I have a long record of Committee service and have never previously embarrassed my fellow

Committee members.

I want to sincerely and without reservation apologise to my committee colleagues, to the Parliament and to Defence for this breach of privilege and I give an unequivocal assurance no such event will happen again.

Yours sincerely

Peter Lindsay