Bribed by PRC Business Woman and had been invited to visit PRC accepting scandalous reception by Chinese. Australian Minister of Defense had been REPLACED by PM Kevin Rudd.
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http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/5628157/fitzgibbon-resigns-as-defence-minister/
Fitzgibbon resigns as defence minister
Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has resigned from his portfolio.
The resignation comes after revelations of Mr Fitzgibbon's involvement in instructing an army general to attend meetings with his brother at which defence health contracting was discussed.
In a letter to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Mr Fitzgibbon said to protect the integrity of the government, he had decided to resign as defence minister effective immediately.
Mr Fitzgibbon is the first ministerial casualty for the Rudd government.
It follows admissions two months ago that he failed to declare trips to China paid for by Chinese-born businesswoman Helen Liu.
This week he admitted he had failed to declare hotel accommodation paid for by NIB.
The opposition had called for him to go.
In his letter, Mr Fitzgibbon said his resignation followed questioning in a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday night regarding meetings between US health group Humana, his brother Mark who is chief executive of health fund NIB, Veterans Affairs Minister Alan Griffin and Defence Personnel Minister Warren Snowdon.
"I decided to thoroughly examine the nature of any contact between Humana, my brother and my office," he said.
"Having done so and despite having made clear to all parties that it was important that I not be involved, I am not satisfied that contact between the various parties leave it clear that I have entirely conformed with your ministerial code of conduct."
Mr Fitzgibbon said he had learned that one meeting between the parties was held in his ministerial office and that his staff members sat in on a number of meetings.
"Again despite my decision to avoid being part of discussions between the parties, I am not absolutely satisfied that that objective has been achieved to the extent necessary to ensure full compliance with your ministerial code of conduct," he said.
"On that basis and to protect the integrity of the government, I have decided to resign as a member of the executive effective immediately."
Following the resignation, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has paid tribute to Joel Fitzgibbon as a first-class minister.
"He's discharged his function as minister in a first-class way," he said.
Mr Rudd said Mr Fitzgibbon had offered his resignation and that he had accepted it.
It was the right thing to do, Mr Rudd said.
The prime minister said he expected high standards of accountability from every minister.
"I've made clear to my ministers over a long period of time the government expects high standards of accountability on the part of it ministers," Mr Rudd told reporters.
"All my ministers are familiar with that and it's on that basis the minister has extended his resignation.
Mr Rudd said Mr Fitzgibbon came to his office about 1pm (AEST) on Thursday to offer his letter of resignation.
"I accepted it, I believed it was the right thing to do," the prime minister said.
Mr Fitzgibbon's failure to declare a hotel room in Brisbane was a minor breach, Mr Rudd said.
"I was unhappy about it but we let that matter rest."
The matter over which he resigned is "different".
"It goes to the question of the undertakings that the minister made publicly in March this year, and concerning the relationship between himself and his office and this particular company, Humana, and NIB which of course is headed by his brother."
Mr Rudd acknowledged Mr Fitzgibbon had made mistakes in regards to matters of accountability.
"And he's paid a high price," he said.
"The minister has accepted responsibility for these mistakes, they are mistakes in relation to accountability, there have been a number of them.
"This one does represent a significant departure from the undertakings the minister gave publicly on this particular matter."
Mr Rudd stressed the government was not contractually involved with any of the players in this latest episode.
"On the substance of any contractual agreement between either NIB, the company Humana or the Australian government, there has none, there is none," he said.
Mr Rudd said Mr Fitzgibbon had earlier said he was not involved in the handling of the NIB matter.
"What he has informed us of today is that his staff did attend meetings with NIB on this matter and furthermore, that one of those meetings occurred within his office," the prime minister said.
The prime minister suggested there wouldn't be a broader reshuffle of cabinet when Mr Fitzgibbon's replacement was announced.
"I think it's important to take things step by step," he said.
"It's important to get on with the business of government.
"I've never been in the business of saying change for changes sake."
Mr Rudd said human beings have weaknesses and the ability to make mistakes.
"Therefore, obviously I feel sad about this but it is important that we maintain high standards of ministerial accountability."
Mr Fitzgibbon had admitted members of his staff had sat in on a number of meetings with NIB on the subject of Humana.
"It is on the basis of those two things, which are different from what the minister had declared before, that he concluded that it was right that he extend his letter of resignation.
"He's done so and it is the right course of action."
Mr Rudd denied the Department of Defence had white-anted its minister.
Mr Fitzgibbon had shared a good working relationship with his department and defence force chief Angus Houston.
"But it follows that in any dealings with a very large organisation from time to time things are going to go wrong," Mr Rudd said.
The prime minister reiterated that the mistake was on the part of Mr Fitzgibbon and that he had full confidence in the department and the Australian Defence Force.
Mr Rudd said the new defence minister would attend a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) meeting in Belgium next week, and be able to cope with the detailed discussions.
When asked whether Mr Fitzgibbon could ever return as a minister in a Rudd government, the prime minister replied: "I don't believe in anything called life sentences for these ... sorts of things.
"It's a matter about how people conduct themselves and what work they do and what application they apply."
:phttp://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/5628157/fitzgibbon-resigns-as-defence-minister/
Fitzgibbon resigns as defence minister
Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has resigned from his portfolio.
The resignation comes after revelations of Mr Fitzgibbon's involvement in instructing an army general to attend meetings with his brother at which defence health contracting was discussed.
In a letter to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Mr Fitzgibbon said to protect the integrity of the government, he had decided to resign as defence minister effective immediately.
Mr Fitzgibbon is the first ministerial casualty for the Rudd government.
It follows admissions two months ago that he failed to declare trips to China paid for by Chinese-born businesswoman Helen Liu.
This week he admitted he had failed to declare hotel accommodation paid for by NIB.
The opposition had called for him to go.
In his letter, Mr Fitzgibbon said his resignation followed questioning in a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday night regarding meetings between US health group Humana, his brother Mark who is chief executive of health fund NIB, Veterans Affairs Minister Alan Griffin and Defence Personnel Minister Warren Snowdon.
"I decided to thoroughly examine the nature of any contact between Humana, my brother and my office," he said.
"Having done so and despite having made clear to all parties that it was important that I not be involved, I am not satisfied that contact between the various parties leave it clear that I have entirely conformed with your ministerial code of conduct."
Mr Fitzgibbon said he had learned that one meeting between the parties was held in his ministerial office and that his staff members sat in on a number of meetings.
"Again despite my decision to avoid being part of discussions between the parties, I am not absolutely satisfied that that objective has been achieved to the extent necessary to ensure full compliance with your ministerial code of conduct," he said.
"On that basis and to protect the integrity of the government, I have decided to resign as a member of the executive effective immediately."
Following the resignation, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has paid tribute to Joel Fitzgibbon as a first-class minister.
"He's discharged his function as minister in a first-class way," he said.
Mr Rudd said Mr Fitzgibbon had offered his resignation and that he had accepted it.
It was the right thing to do, Mr Rudd said.
The prime minister said he expected high standards of accountability from every minister.
"I've made clear to my ministers over a long period of time the government expects high standards of accountability on the part of it ministers," Mr Rudd told reporters.
"All my ministers are familiar with that and it's on that basis the minister has extended his resignation.
Mr Rudd said Mr Fitzgibbon came to his office about 1pm (AEST) on Thursday to offer his letter of resignation.
"I accepted it, I believed it was the right thing to do," the prime minister said.
Mr Fitzgibbon's failure to declare a hotel room in Brisbane was a minor breach, Mr Rudd said.
"I was unhappy about it but we let that matter rest."
The matter over which he resigned is "different".
"It goes to the question of the undertakings that the minister made publicly in March this year, and concerning the relationship between himself and his office and this particular company, Humana, and NIB which of course is headed by his brother."
Mr Rudd acknowledged Mr Fitzgibbon had made mistakes in regards to matters of accountability.
"And he's paid a high price," he said.
"The minister has accepted responsibility for these mistakes, they are mistakes in relation to accountability, there have been a number of them.
"This one does represent a significant departure from the undertakings the minister gave publicly on this particular matter."
Mr Rudd stressed the government was not contractually involved with any of the players in this latest episode.
"On the substance of any contractual agreement between either NIB, the company Humana or the Australian government, there has none, there is none," he said.
Mr Rudd said Mr Fitzgibbon had earlier said he was not involved in the handling of the NIB matter.
"What he has informed us of today is that his staff did attend meetings with NIB on this matter and furthermore, that one of those meetings occurred within his office," the prime minister said.
The prime minister suggested there wouldn't be a broader reshuffle of cabinet when Mr Fitzgibbon's replacement was announced.
"I think it's important to take things step by step," he said.
"It's important to get on with the business of government.
"I've never been in the business of saying change for changes sake."
Mr Rudd said human beings have weaknesses and the ability to make mistakes.
"Therefore, obviously I feel sad about this but it is important that we maintain high standards of ministerial accountability."
Mr Fitzgibbon had admitted members of his staff had sat in on a number of meetings with NIB on the subject of Humana.
"It is on the basis of those two things, which are different from what the minister had declared before, that he concluded that it was right that he extend his letter of resignation.
"He's done so and it is the right course of action."
Mr Rudd denied the Department of Defence had white-anted its minister.
Mr Fitzgibbon had shared a good working relationship with his department and defence force chief Angus Houston.
"But it follows that in any dealings with a very large organisation from time to time things are going to go wrong," Mr Rudd said.
The prime minister reiterated that the mistake was on the part of Mr Fitzgibbon and that he had full confidence in the department and the Australian Defence Force.
Mr Rudd said the new defence minister would attend a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) meeting in Belgium next week, and be able to cope with the detailed discussions.
When asked whether Mr Fitzgibbon could ever return as a minister in a Rudd government, the prime minister replied: "I don't believe in anything called life sentences for these ... sorts of things.
"It's a matter about how people conduct themselves and what work they do and what application they apply."
