Incoming Defence Minister Kevin Andrews is under fire for an apparent lack of interest in all things military.
Before even being sworn in as Australia's 52nd Defence Minister, Mr Andrews on Monday was forced to reassure the armed services community of his commitment to the task after it emerged he had once declared he had "no interest in defence issues".
It has also emerged that the departing Social Services Minister is one of a small minority in Tony Abbott's ministry who have not taken part in a tailored program to educate parliamentarians about the military.
Mr Andrews was bitten by the remark – which he does not recall making – made in a private conversation during the Howard era.
The executive director of the Australian Defence Association, Neil James, said Mr Andrews' "no interest" remark was made to his predecessor, Mike O'Connor.
Mr James told Fairfax Media the Association kept a list of parliamentarians who made such remarks and also curated a list of the interest taken by all MPs and senators and their voting records.
"It's not a list we broadcast, but it's a long list," Mr James said.
"The ADA has a very long corporate memory. We never forget. The minister can't remember the conversation. Hopefully we'll move on from it," Mr James said.
Mr Andrews' confirmed he contacted the ADA on Monday. "I spoke with Mr James this morning and assured him of my commitment to Defence," he said.
Earlier, Mr James had said the Association was "reasonably disappointed" in the appointment of Mr Andrews, describing it as another "terminal posting" for a politician in the twilight of their career.
"Defence is getting very, very tired of receiving ministers who are really in their last term or two in Parliament. What we need is younger and more able ministers with a future ahead of them," he said.
Mr James said it could take a new minister up to six months to get across the diverse and critical portfolio.
Previous ministers such as Peter Reith, Robert Hill, Stephen Smith and John Faulkner occupied Defence as their ministerial swan songs.
Scott Morrison had been touted as the next Defence Minister to replace David Johnston but he has been handed the task of reforming welfare and getting more people into work as Social Services Minister – the post Mr Andrews will leave to oversee Defence.
Mr Andrews' office did not offer comment on why he had not taken part in the parliamentary exchange program hosted by the military, introduced in 2001.
The Defence Force's website says 307 federal Parliamentarians have taken part in the program, including 114 Senators and 183 Members of the Lower House.
Nearly two dozen current Government frontbenchers and Ministers – including Steve Ciobo, Simon Birmingham, Mathias Cormann, Peter Dutton, Josh Frydenberg, Luke Hartsuyker, Greg Hunt, Barnaby Joyce, Sussan Ley, Scott Morrison, Marise Payne, Stuart Robert, Scott Ryan – have signed up for the program during their time in parliament.
And other MPs who have been in the parliament for just one term, such as former Labor MPs James Bidgood and Damian Hale, have completed the program.
Labor's assistant spokesman for Defence, David Feeney, seized on the revelation. "The new minister not only comes to the portfolio with an awful lot to learn but the handicap of having never shown any interest in Defence or the work of the ADF before," he said.
Mr Andrews steps into the role at a critical time for the Defence Department, with the first review into its structure since the 1950s underway and a white paper due.
The government also has to move forward with the acquisition of a new fleet of submarines. Mr Johnston famously landed in hot water when he declared he did not have confidence that the nation's public shipbuilder could "build a canoe".
