AFP investigate leak of classified draft of defence white paper

THE Australian Federal Police will investigate the damaging leak of top secret draft submarine documents produced under the Abbott Government.

The Defence White Paper at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING

• Collins subs to be upgraded as new fleet delayed

THE Australian Federal Police will investigate the leak of “classified” Defence documents to a newspaper.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told Parliament today the head of the Defence Department had “initiated an investigation” into information provided to The Australian.

“I can confirm that the secretary of the Department of Defence has advised me that he has initiated an investigation which will obviously be conducted by the Australian Federal Police into the apparent leak of these classified documents that were referred to in the newspaper,” he said.

The Australian’s report was about the apparent delay in replacing Australia’s Collins class submarines, buried in the defence white paper released last week.

It quoted former Prime Minister Tony Abbott as “flabbergasted” by the change, which according to the leaked draft documents would see the purchase of new submarines pushed back by nearly a decade.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott was quoted in The Australian’s article as being “flabbergasted” by the delay for replacing Australia’s submarines. Picture: AAP/Lukas Coch

“I refer to newspaper reports today which contain leaked national security documents and which also extensively quote the Member for Warringah (Mr Abbott),” Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said.

“This morning the Leader of the House said there are no classified documents more important than those in the National Security Committee and he also said, ‘The Government will take this leak to The Australian very seriously.’

“Given the seriousness of this matter, has this national security breach been referred to the Australian Federal Police?”

Mr Turnbull told question time the Defence Force chief had been advising since 2013 that delivering new submarines before 2026 was “highly unlikely”.

“The secretary and the chief of the Defence Force further advised us that a study commissioned by the Defence Minister confirmed in 2012 that an extension of life for the Collins submarine was feasible and practical,” he said.

The Australian’s foreign editor Greg Sheridan told Sky News before question time Mr Abbott was not the source of the leak.

Shadow Attorney General Mark Dreyfus accused Mr Turnbull and Mr Abbott of using national security to “settle old scores”.

“These are irresponsible and dangerous games from the Liberal Party,” he said.