Brereton report on Australian war crimes throws light on a culture of secrecy and cover-up

In the early days of the Abbott Government, the then minister for immigration and border protection, Scott Morrison, would appear in what is known as the Blue Room at Parliament House to give updates on the new government’s Operation Sovereign Borders.

Except there wasn’t ever much of an update. As has proved his style ever since, Morrison was not a big believer in actually informing the public. Questions about how many boats — or asylum seekers — may have been on their way to Australia (the target of the operation being to deter them and turn them back), the minister would describe them as “on-water matters” which he wouldn’t discuss.

Amid lots of flags and bunting carrying the logos of the operation and the Australian Federal…