Bishop to continue security briefs - National News - National - General - The Canberra Times

as posted here ... Bishop to continue security briefs - National News - National - General - The Canberra Times

The Federal Government will continue to brief the Opposition on sensitive national security issues despite its claims that Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop is unfit to handle such matters.
A spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith confirmed last night that it was ''not proposed to disturb current arrangements which are of long standing.''

The Government stepped up its attacks yesterday on Ms Bishop for suggesting in media interviews on Tuesday that Australian intelligence agencies used forged foreign passports.

Ms Bishop made her comments after a classified briefing by Australian intelligence, security and police agencies on the Israeli Government's use of forged Australian passports in connection with the assassination of a senior Hamas commander in Dubai.

In Parliament Mr Smith charged that Ms Bishop had breached longstanding conventions concerning the confidentiality of security and intelligence briefings and a ''fundamental principle'' of not commenting or speculating on national security and intelligence matters.

''She is not a fit and proper person to sit around the National Security Committee of the cabinet,'' he said.

''She is not a fit and proper person to discharge that role.''

Mr Smith called on Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to acknowledge Ms Bishop's conduct was ''unacceptable, that she was in serious breach of a fundamental principle and, as a consequence, she has put our national security interests at risk''.

However, despite the Government's claims, national security sources said there was no intention to terminate or restrict briefings for the Opposition on national security issues. There is a statutory obligation for the Directors-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the Australian Secret Intelligence Service to brief the Opposition Leader on the activities of their agencies.

By convention, the shadow ministers for foreign affairs and defence, and the shadow attorney-general are also briefed on classified matters including ASIO, ASIS and the top-secret Pine Gap Joint Defence Facility.