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A Liberal MP who once suggested women shouldn’t serve on the frontlines has said combat roles are open to all Australians.
Andrew Hastie, a former Captain in the Australian Army, said he felt “the fighting DNA of a close combat unit is best preserved when it’s exclusively male” in 2018.
The member for Canning in WA and Opposition defence spokesperson was questioned about his views on Wednesday as the Coalition announced it would .
Hastie said he did not deny his previous views but added the Coalition had a “long-standing position” that combat roles are open to women.
He told reporters in the Perth suburb of Belmont: “I am not going to resile from what I have said in the past.”
He said his previous comments were based on his experience in a combat unit where you “practice a man down” during live fire drills.
“I said what I said, but the thing that the Australian people need to know, under a Dutton-led Coalition government [is] we will have a policy that is open to all Australians for combat roles. Nothing is changing.
“The one thing that we will insist on is high standards, because in combat, there’s no points for second place, so we need to be able to win every fight that we go into.”
Asked whether he was saying women would lower standards, Hastie said: “It’s hardly what I’m saying”.
“I’m saying we have one standard [for] all Australians, regardless of your background, your race, your sexuality, your gender, your religion. Every single role in the ADF (Australian Defence Force) is open to you, and we want more Australians to join.
“I got asked a question and I referred to my personal experience. Never once have I indicated that the policy should change.”
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