The Hits And Misses Of Gunner Fitzgibbon

A DECISION has at last emerged from the government's "review" list. Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has announced that the government will indeed go ahead and buy those F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets. Last year Mr Fitzgibbon said an ABC Four Corners report on threats to Australia's continued regional air superiority - in which criticisms were made of the Super Hornet undertaking - reinforced Labor's claim that the Howard government had seriously mismanaged the country's air-defence capability. "The Super Hornet may or may not be the best aircraft to fill the capability gap the government still says doesn't exist," Mr Fitzgibbon argued then. And yesterday: "We embrace the Super Hornet. It is a very, very special aircraft, which is more than up to the job." His opposite number, Nick Minchin, rightfully called this flight to Damascus conversion "a day of shame for Mr Fitzgibbon."

Understandably, the Minister was somewhat bellicose today towards the same Howard government whose original Super Hornet decision his own review has now backed. He told an Australian Strategic Policy Institute forum the previous government had mismanaged budgeting and funding in defence and that more than 2 percent of GDP may be required soon for ADF expenditure. It might even be fiscally possible, no real thanks to Labor. "It's like factoring the cost of a new car into the family budget, without making any provision for fuel, insurance, rego or maintenance," he said. Yes, this is the same man who couldn't work out last year whether or not to buy the family a "car" at all. On Afghanistan, Mr Fitzgibbon was far more solid. His criticisms of NATO could have been written by Mark Steyn. Or even by new Fitzgibbon appointee, John Howard's former chief of staff, Arthur Sinodinos.