Labor leader Bill Shorten missed an Anzac Day dinner with Diggers to visit a Dubai shopping mall
LABOR leader Bill Shorten and Liberal Senate President Scott Ryan both missed an Anzac Day dinner with a select group of Diggers in the Middle East to instead go shopping in Dubai.
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EXCLUSIVE
LABOR leader Bill Shorten and Liberal Senate President Scott Ryan both missed an Anzac Day dinner with a select group of Diggers in the Middle East to instead go to a shopping mall in Dubai on their way back to Australia.
But Mr Shorten and Senator Ryan thought official duties were over and chose to travel to the airport in Dubai earlier than originally scheduled, stopping off to shop before flying out hours later.
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In Mr Shorten’s absence, the dinner went ahead with the soon to be installed vice chief of Defence Vice Admiral David Johnston, who had been travelling with the MPs stayed with his troops to assume the VIP guest role for assembled diners. The two dinner tables plan was reduced to just one.
Senator Ryan last night “unreservedly apologised” for the “misunderstanding”.
Mr Shorten insisted confusion over the schedule was to blame for the “regrettable” mix-up, and said he had no idea a dinner had been organised. He would never have missed it, if he had known, he said.
Defence had organised for two tables to be set in a discreet corner of the ADF Middle East headquarters mess room for the dinner and the room was set up for a briefing.
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News Corp Australia has learned that after visiting troops in the Afghan capital Kabul, including a 4am dawn service, Mr Shorten and his Government chaperone, Senator Ryan, were given an option to dine with troops or private time to rest after a long day.
Mr Shorten and Senator Ryan instead chose to be transported to Dubai early, where they visited a mega shopping mall for about 40 minutes to buy presents for family back home.
Some military personnel were disappointed with Shorten’s decision.
“There were a few noses out of joint and a few people disappointed ... he literally came here then wanted to go to Dubai ... maybe he was tired,” said one.
Mr Shorten was always going to have to be in Dubai for his return flight but his decision to go early disappointed.
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A VIP quarters had also been arranged but Mr Shorten was in the room only a few minutes around 3.30pm; such was his haste to then leave he left behind a personal item.
Mr Shorten’s office categorically denied the sequence of events saying there was some confusion about dinner arrangements and the group thought it was easier to not burden troops and make their way to the airport early, albeit via a shopping mall.
Senator Ryan said: “It was a privilege to spend Anzac Day with our servicemen and women on active duty. Given this apparent misunderstanding I offer my unreserved apology.”
A spokesman for Mr Shorten said: “At no point did Mr Shorten indicate to anyone that he would be available for dinner on the base that evening.”
Mr Shorten and Senator Ryan had the privilege of spending Anzac Day in Kabul, Afghanistan with military personnel — spending a lot of time with Diggers and receiving briefings from senior coalition commanders on Australia’s operations in the region.
“At no point did Mr Shorten or Senator Ryan accept an invitation to dine ... or change their mind, or cancel,” the spokesman said.
“Prior to leaving Australia, the Department of Defence had confirmed the option of an off-base dinner at a location in Dubai, rather than dinner on-base.
“If there was any misunderstanding, that is regrettable.
“Mr Shorten has personally confirmed with Vice Admiral Johnston that neither he nor Senator Ryan were provided with advice that any troops were expecting to have dinner with them.
“Mr Shorten did not have dinner in Dubai. Mr Shorten spent most of the evening at Dubai International Airport attending to work matters.
Defence sought to play down Mr Shorten’s alleged faux pas, declining to comment to specific questions related to his last-minute shopping mall move.
“As a routine part of the visit, an optional program was developed for the post Afghanistan visit while in transit through an ADF logistics base,” an ADF spokeswoman said.
“Given the nature of VIP visits, they are subject to change.”