The Age

The Australian Democrats will subpoena former Defence Minister Peter Reith to appear before a Senate committee into the children overboard scandal enveloping the federal government.

Democrats leader Natasha Stott Despoja today denied claims by the prime minister the Senate committee was politically motivated, saying it was the only way to flesh out debate and resolve uncertainty surrounding the issue.

"The motivation for this committee is to get to the truth," Senator Stott Despoja told reporters in Sydney.

"The comments that we have heard in the last 24 hours from various players in the saga, including the former defence minister and the prime minister (John Howard) mean that we are even more determined to subpoena witnesses including the former defence minister Peter Reith."