Coalition senators are backing the right of a colleague to speak critically of the former Howard government's foreign policies, even if they don't agree.
Coalition senators are backing the right of a colleague to speak critically of the former Howard government's foreign policies, even if they don't agree with him.
Russell Trood, an international affairs expert before entering parliament in 2004, has written an academic paper critical of the Iraq war and other foreign affairs issues.
The 200-page paper was launched by Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson at Parliament House in Canberra Monday night.
The paper prompted former foreign affairs minister, Alexander Downer, to berate Senator Trood, according to reports. Liberal frontbencher Eric Abetz played down the reports.
"The media love to peddle these sorts of stories. Whether that occurred or not I don't know," Senator Abetz told reporters.
"What I do know is that Senator Trood is entitled to his opinion, right or wrong, and that's always been part and parcel of the Liberal Party ethos.
"Individual senators and members can hold an opinion that is not necessarily the mainstream view of the party." Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce said he did not agree with Senator Trood's views on foreign affairs policies, especially Iraq.
"I do support the Iraq war," he told reporters. "However, not only do I think it's his right to have that say, I think it's incumbent upon him to have that say because, if my position is wrong, I want someone to clearly spell out why it is.
"Mr Downer also has a right to his opinion and his opinion is different to that of Russell's."
Bruce Billson, a junior defence minister in the previous Howard government, said Senator Trood had a contribution to make to the coalition.
"That's what's great about the Liberal Party - many people, lot's a talent lots of contributions to make," he told reporters. "He's entitled to (speak out).
He should be encouraged to contribute his views. He's got much experience, considerable expertise."
Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said there was a period of readjustment going on after the Howard years. "Just listening to Brendan Nelson and his five-point plan - there's a breakaway going on here," he said.
"Russell Trood's comments about Iraq are an indication that the Liberal Party is again becoming more of a liberal party and the coalition more of a coalition, than the very confined, conservative, narrow-minded Howard government that we had over the last 11 years."
Senator Trood, who holds a PhD in international relations, has long been a critic of the war in Iraq. "Iraq was an ill conceived enterprise from the very beginning," Mr Trood said at a press conference reported by ABC radio.
"We were also unwise not to fund the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) adequately." The senator told ABC radio his paper was about the nation's future direction, not the opinion of the former foreign affairs minister.
"This is not about any conversations I might have had with Alexander Downer," he said. "The paper is about the future; it is about the challenges in the international environment that we face in Australia, and the purpose of this exercise is to look at those challenges and decide how Australia can best respond."
Source: Australian Associated Press