The opposition is demanding an urgent explanation from the government and defence force chief over allegations Australian forces in Afghanistan are not being given adequate protection.
Opposition defence spokesman David Johnston said more questions had to be answered regarding the circumstances that led to the death in August of a digger following a battle with Taliban insurgents.
There have been claims the Australian troops that took part in the three-and-a-half-hour firefight, which led to the death of Lance Corporal Jared MacKinney, were not properly supported.
An unnamed soldier has claimed in an email distributed to media that they were let down though poor intelligence and a lack of fire support.
Chief of Joint Operations Lieutenant General Mark Evans said such commentary was wrong, ill-informed and unhelpful.
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Senator Johnston said more firepower should have been deployed, arguing that the firefight during which Lance Corp MacKinney was killed should not have lasted three-and-a-half-hours.
He said new Defence Minister Stephen Smith and Australian Defence Force chief Angus Houston needed to explain why more firepower was not deployed to protect the troops.
"We have tanks, artillery, planes and helicopters which have not been deployed to operations in Afghanistan, and the clear inference from a frontline soldier's email is that these platforms should have been deployed," Senator Johnston said.
"I think CDF (chief of the defence forces) and the minister need to explain to us why that did not happen."
Senator Johnston said it appeared the claims of inadequate force protection, which he described as the most serious of allegations, had been dismissed by defence chiefs.
Defence Minister Stephen Smith said earlier that the email would be 'considered in the course of the formal defence investigation.'
"When I get this email, as I've seen today, can I tell you it's very concerning. And to see it dismissed, I think, is not a good look," he said.
"I think the minister and the chief of defence need to really answer all of the allegations."
