Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Australians and our interests overseas have been targeted by terrorists on more than one occasion. I remind the House that 11 Australians were killed in the September 11 2001 attacks in the US. In fact, earlier today we offered our condolences on the commemoration of the 10-year anniversary of the Bali bombings where 202 people were killed, 88 of whom were Australians. What that means is that, regardless of what is happening in the world, regardless of our foreign policy decisions, there are going to be terrorists that see value in attacking Australians. While I say value, some of them may see political or publicity value in killing Australians, but others may just have a pathological hatred of anyone who could be seen as representing western liberalism.

The reality is that terrorism is now almost exclusively the practice of radical Islamic groups or Islamists. They seek to expand a way of life and the political system of a religion that degrades the place and opportunities of women, that promotes medieval laws and that restricts freedoms that we hold dear. These Islamists are offended by our actions in Afghanistan, by our support for Israel and of course by our alliance with the US. Regardless of any of those foreign policy matters, they are offended by our refusal to become Muslim, by our consumption of alcohol and probably countless other sins.

While the apologists on the Left in this country may rationalise and even excuse terrorist attacks on Australians as resulting from our 'terrible' actions in places like Afghanistan, the reality is that the Islamists find fault with anyone who does not adhere to the same religious fanaticism that they do and anyone who lives in the decadent West. The truth is that Australians will be targeted in the future by these enemies; and turning the other cheek or embracing them, out of some misplaced view of seeking empathy and understanding, is pointless and a betrayal of this nation. The point is that while there are Islamists there will be terrorism and while there is terrorism Australians and all people from liberal Western democracies will be targeted. The outstanding efforts of ASIO here and the security agencies of other nations combine to help detect the threats, but overseas we cannot always expect the terrorists to be stopped and therefore we cannot rule out that there will be more Australians killed or injured such as at the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta.

Beyond countering the threats, it is therefore important that we have had the capacity to respond when they have taken place. I am talking about not just the highly successful efforts of the Howard government in 2002 but now also the ability to provide financial support for the victims. In June 2012 the House debated the Social Security Amendment (Supporting Victims of Terrorism Overseas) Bill 2012. The government brought that bill in to counter the private member's bill of the Hon. Tony Abbott. The trouble with the government's bill was that it was not retrospective and therefore would not assist those that had been in previous attacks. I of course hope that every future attempt by terrorists to hurt Australians will be interdicted by security forces and stopped; but, just as has been the case with the attacks in Bali, Australians affected have been left with having to deal with the effects for the rest of their lives. That should be acknowledged and retrospectivity applied for these past victims.

The government's attempt at social security for victims of terrorism overseas excluded one of the most important aspects: declarations to give assistance to actual existing victims of terrorism. I join with the Leader of the Opposition to call on the government and the minister to make a declaration so that the families of the 300 Australians killed can get this modest but important payment. As said earlier, we are talking about only $30 million, which is fairly modest in the scheme of Commonwealth government spending. This is the least a decent nation can do for the people who have suffered. Many victims and family members of victims of overseas terrorism have suffered not only financially but also, in a large number of cases, physically and mentally.

This private member's motion is in response to the coalition's recognition of the need for a federal scheme to offer financial assistance similar to that which is currently available to local victims of crime under state and territory schemes. This financial assistance is usually up to $80,000 and, as we heard from the Leader of the Opposition, it is not specifically to compensate but, rather, to recognise the suffering that the victims have incurred. As I stated, the Australian victims of overseas terrorism suffered because they were Australians; they were targeted because they were Australians. This is not a political issue, it is a personal issue. If financial assistance is okay for those who will suffer from terrorism overseas in the future then it should be right for those who have suffered from overseas terrorism in the past, and continue to suffer, to also be provided for.

Debate adjourned.

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