Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

The opposition, like the government, has been extremely concerned about the reports of human rights violations in Al-Raqqa. There have been reports from the United Nations and from citizen journalists who have been active on the ground there to get information out about what ISIL—Daesh—has been doing. We also know that this area is the capital—the headquarters, the centre of gravity—for this organisation. It is from this area that attacks on Kobani and other parts of Syria and Iraq are being launched, driven and resourced.

We also know, sadly, that there are Australians in senior positions in this organisation in this area. And there is no good reason for any Australian to be on this ground in this area, particularly not in the positions that we see in this organisation. So we are pleased to support, in a bipartisan way, what really is an extraordinary measure—to declare a whole area a no-go zone, as we are doing today.

We think it is very important that when this parliament has extraordinary new powers, that with those powers go transparency and accountability measures, and we will continue to engage in those. We are also very willing to assist the government. We are very concerned about the increasing numbers of Australians who are going to this region and the broader region to fight in what is a terrible conflict. Thank you, Madam Speaker, for that indulgence.

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