Chairperson, the first thing I would like to say is that the member who stood before us here did not even partake in the oversight visit. He was not there. [Interjections.] It's funny that we agree in the committees on defence - both of them - that grandstanding about the security of the nation is uncalled for. We always agree on that. This report was voted for by the committees with no abstention by any party - it was unanimous. That means there is grandstanding here. [Interjections.]
Let's look into what the hon Maynier refers to as secrecy. What usually happens is that the person who supplies you with information is the person who decides whether the information is confidential, top secret or whatever. It is not for the committee to decide on that. [Interjections.] It's the person who gives you the information who decides that because that person knows how confidential the information is. [Interjections.] So it is not for us to determine that.
To answer his allegations of secrecy, it would be very stupid for any nation to make every other thing public. [Interjections.] If our Defence Force has come up with a new sophisticated missile, it is not for them to tell their enemies what defence they have. [Interjections.] That would be a stupid thing to do. [Interjections.]
In relation to the meeting that we had, it was not the committee that decided the meeting must be held in secret. [Interjections.] That was decided by the people responsible. The SA Navy had their own forms, which they gave to every member to sign. They told us: "If you want us to give you this type of information, you must sign here, otherwise we will not give you that information." [Interjections.]