Clash brewing over defence committee

The committee has been modelled on the powerful Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, to enhance scrutiny of the defence portfolio.

It would be able to inquire into a broad range of matters affecting the federal government's defence agencies, including their administration, capability and expenditure.

In March, opposition spokesperson on defence, Andrew Hastie, urged the government to set up the new committee "at speed", in exchange for Coalition support on two defence bills.

But The Canberra Times understands the Coalition is planning to oppose the bill in the Senate on Thursday, if its proposed amendments are not supported. The legislation could still pass, with support from the crossbench.

Those amendments, which the Coalition signalled in the lower house on Monday, call on the government to lock crossbench MPs out of the committee, in a targeted attack on the Greens.

Mr Hastie's proposal seeks to ensure the committee comprises seven members of government, and six members of the opposition.

"We cannot risk the Greens becoming members of the joint defence committee," Mr Hastie said in the House of Representatives on Monday, where the Coalition's amendments were defeated.

The government bill only requires the committee be made up of a majority of members of government, with at least four non-government members decided on by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese or Leader of the Government in the Senate, Penny Wong.

While the national security committee currently only includes Labor and Coalition MPs, its design does not outlaw independent or Greens politicians.

The Guardian last month reported that the Prime Minister wanted room left on the defence committee to appoint a crossbench MP, as a potential post-election bargaining chip.

The Greens' spokesperson on defence, David Shoebridge, rubbished Mr Hastie's claims, saying there is no point in the committee "unless it reflects the make-up of Parliament and the opinions of the public".

"The Coalition has pointed to our policy of renegotiating the US alliance and ending the AUKUS deal to acquire nuclear submarines, these are not fringe positions, they are positions supported by the majority of Australians," Senator Shoebridge said.

A spokesperson for Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles accused the Coalition of "playing political games" with the committee.

"We have said this committee is a priority for the Albanese government which is why enabling legislation is currently before the Parliament," the spokesperson for Mr Marles, who is also Defence Minister, said.

"The Liberal's choice is clear: they can support greater transparency and accountability through the committee they have called for, or they can keep playing political games and vote against it."