An attempt to use a navy warship for a party fundraiser “beggars belief” but continues a long trend of MPs trying to associate themselves with the military for political purposes, former defence figures have said.
The Western Australian Nationals MP Paul Brown, who tried to sell $1,000 tickets to a political fundraiser aboard HMAS Perth, dismissed the scandal as “much ado about nothing”.
The event has been cancelled but defence figures and politicians from across the political spectrum have expressed outrage the idea was even contemplated. The defence minister, Marise Payne, and the navy said they were not told about the nature of the event.
Labor has formally written to Payne asking her to clarify whether her office, the Department of Defence or the defence forces had any knowledge or involvement in the fundraiser.
“It is fundamental to our democratic system that the Australian defence force remains politically neutral and that every effort is made to avoid its politicisation,” acting defence spokeswoman Gai Brodtmann said.
“The fundraising event that was planned by the Nationals WA was directly contrary to this principle and utterly inappropriate.”
Executive director of the Australian Defence Association, Neil James, said Brown’s public comments indicated he was “still in denial”.
“How could any elected politician in Australia for a moment think that such an activity was appropriate? It just beggars belief,” James said.
It was always wrong, he said, for politicians to try “hijack the public respect the defence force has for electoral purposes” and he saw the attempted fundraiser as part of a long-term trend.
“How often have you seen politicians from both sides of politics want to officiate at a deployment or welcome home for a defence force contingent?” James asked.
“You had the last defence white paper announced at a military base with a whole lot of soldiers, sailors and airmen standing behind as props. How often do you see politicians in their electoral brochures in lots of photos with people in uniform?”
The latest episode began after Brown purchased a package – which included a tour of HMAS Perth, the use of a flight simulator and a group lunch – at a Royal Flying Doctor Service fundraising event.
Brown then tried to turn this into a political fundraiser, sending out invitations offering $1,000 per person tickets to “a unique luncheon experience with the Nationals WA leadership on-board the Australian navy warship, HMAS Perth” on 15 January.
The promotion carried the banner “All aboard!” and promised access to the National party’s state leader, Terry Redman, the deputy leader, Mia Davies, and the state director, Jamie Forsyth.
Brown said when he, Redman and Davies discussed the event at a meeting on Monday, they decided to call it off because it “might be less than appropriate”.
“It’s all really a much ado about nothing,” Brown told ABC on Friday.
“We’d only made ... an invitation to a minor group of supporters and we cancelled the event well in advance before it became a political football.”
Brown said he was now planning to invite constituents with disabilities to a future luncheon on the HMAS Perth without charging anyone to attend.
State and federal Labor MPs demanded an explanation about the approval process for the fundraiser, prompting Payne to say her office had no knowledge of the event.
“I am advised that Navy was not informed that the event, which was originally auctioned to raise money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, was being billed as a political fundraiser,” the defence minister said on Thursday.
“Defence facilities should not be used for political fundraising purposes and it is regrettable that the original invitation was issued.”
In 2014, Labor raised concern about a Liberal party banner being used as a backdrop for a press conference on RAAF Base Edinburgh in Adelaide by the then prime minister Tony Abbott and the South Australian party leader, Steven Marshall, two days before the state election.
