Campaign Media Release

CAMPAIGN STATEMENT We understand that the Sunday Telegraph is intending to report that the Prime Minister delayed a national security briefing on Syria in Canberra today because of a previously arranged media commitment in Brisbane. This is wrong. Following a briefing from the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to the Prime Minister this morning, the Secretary recommended that a full national security briefing occur including the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister with officials this evening or tomorrow. This was to ensure all officials and full briefing papers were ready following discussions with allies during the course of the day. Had a full national security briefing on Syria been possible earlier, Mr Rudd would have made arrangements to be in Canberra earlier. The Prime Minister made it clear this morning that a parallel briefing be made available to the Leader of the Opposition at his earliest convenience which we understand will occur tomorrow (Sunday). Any statement or inference that the timing of Saturday evening's national security briefing to the Prime Minister on Syria has in any way been delayed because of other Prime Ministerial commitments in Brisbane is 100 per cent wrong and is defamatory.

24 AUGUST 2013 MELBOURNE