Major defence companies – the so called "primes" that win major contracts from governments then subcontract smaller firms – referred Fairfax Media's inquiries to the Defence Department. Defence had not responded to Fairfax Media enquiries by deadline. Labor leader Bill Shorten took the government to task over the breach on Thursday, saying ministers "should be "demanding answers, not making excuses". "The whole chain of information needs to be tightened up," he said. "This shouldn't happen."