FED:MP Wilkie responds to cadet report

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2011
FED:MP Wilkie responds to cadet report

CANBERRA, April 15 AAP - Federal independent MP Andrew Wilkie says he cannot remember
ordering military cadets to commemorate Adolf Hitler's rise to power so won't be apologising
for the alleged incident.

But the Tasmanian MP, who helped deliver minority government to Labor, regrets inappropriate
behaviour for which he was disciplined while at Duntroon Military College almost 30 years
ago.

As a senior cadet in 1983, Mr Wilkie allegedly forced his juniors to salute the 50th
anniversary of Hitler's rise to power, News Ltd has reported.

"I honestly cannot remember anything about that specific allegation," the 49-year-old
told reporters in Hobart on Friday.

"But I have never made a secret of the fact that I was one of many cadets involved
in the bastardisation scandal at the Royal Military College Duntroon in 1983."

The MP, who has a deal with the Labor government to introduce gambling reforms, said
he was concerned the story had emerged at a time when he was "standing between the poker
machine industry and the $5 billion problem gamblers lose on the pokies each year".

"I will not be cowed by the pokies industry and will keep working to drive historic
national poker machine reform to improve the lives of the 95,000 Australians with a pokies
gambling problem and the countless people they affect," Mr Wilkie said.

The Department of Defence is in the midst of a scandal after it was revealed last week
that a cadet filmed himself having sex with an 18-year-old fellow student and let his
mates watch it live online.

Mr Wilkie said he applauded the action being taken to stamp out misconduct at the Australian
Defence Force Academy in Canberra.

But he thinks any investigation should be extended to include Duntroon, the army's
officer training school.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott told reporters in Brisbane he did not believe the Nazi
salute allegation has the potential to bring down Mr Wilkie and thus the Gillard government.

"The short answer is no, but I'll let him explain whatever it was that happened back
in the early `80s when he was a military officer," Mr Abbott said.

"I think it's important to see things in perspective and I just make a plea to all
people on all subjects to keep a sense of proportion about it.

"It's a matter for Mr Wilkie to deal with and I gather he's done his best to do so today."

Prime Minister Julia Gillard refused to enter into the debate except to say Mr Wilkie
was a "very, very young man" at the time.

"Andrew Wilkie is the only person who can tell his life story," she said.

Bastardisation usually involves bullying, humiliation or physical abuse as a way of
initiating a person into a group.

Mr Wilkie on Friday acknowledged the behaviour was wrong and inappropriate but insisted
the bastardisation with which he was involved did not include physical or sexual harassment.

AAP pjo/jcd/jhp

KEYWORD: WILKIE UPDATE

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.