Trent Zimmerman (North Sydney, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I firstly congratulate the member for Dunkley for moving this important motion. We've heard during this debate some very moving and tragic accounts of some of the acts of horror and genocide that were perpetrated against the Yazidis. I think it is important that this parliament consider these issues. It has been a long campaign by many in the international community, including Australia, to make sure that these horrors are properly recognised, but, more importantly, dealt with. Thankfully, the Australian government has already acted to help the Yazidis. The first part of this was through our contribution to the global coalition to defeat ISIL, as well as seeking to liberate Yazidis who may still be in captivity. Additionally, we've sought to help those who have been targeted. As such, hundreds of Yazidi survivors have already been settled in Australia—as part of our resettlement program—as part of the cohort of 1,200 refugees who fled the conflict in Syria and Iraq. Further, the Australian government is also seeking to fight slavery more broadly through the creation of the Modern Slavery Act. I commend the member for Dunkley, as chair of the Foreign Affairs and Aid Subcommittee, on his work in this regard.

However, the stories of horror that we've heard today cannot alone bring perpetrators to justice. The immediate aftermath of the defeat of ISIL should lead to an examination of these atrocities in concert with the formation of an investigative team, as already identified under UN Security Council Resolution 2379. The individual perpetrators of these crimes must be identified, investigated and brought to justice. I know that this is what 'Prosecute; don't perpetrate', and other organisations working on behalf of Yazidis, are trying to do. Such an investigation must be far-reaching in its conduct. While these are unspeakable horrors, to dismiss a fair and thorough investigation will not achieve justice for the Yazidis. As such, significant international support should go towards ensuring that the investigation has the resourcing it needs to investigate war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide against the Yazidis.

Furthermore, this investigation will require an international component. There have been widespread reports of foreign fighters travelling to Syria and Iraq to assist ISIL, and unfortunately these have included some Australians. As ISIL is defeated militarily, it is likely that the surviving fighters will either flee to other conflicts or, potentially, attempt to return to their countries of origin. We cannot allow this to occur. This must also extend to those Australians who have fought for ISIL and who seek to return to Australia. These are people who have betrayed Australia and sought to represent a foreign force actively engaged in combat against Australian forces. Moreover, these people may very well have been complicit in some of the outrages inflicted upon the Yazidis. I have every confidence that the Australian government will investigate and prosecute any Australian involved in committing crimes against the Yazidis to ensure justice for victims and survivors of these atrocities.

With the end of the conflict and the fall of Raqqa late last year, there is now an opportunity for both justice and recovery. Properly investigating and prosecuting these atrocities will create a vehicle to assist the Yazidi community globally and will take a step towards rebuilding their society. By ensuring that Iraqi and international organisations investigate and prosecute those who have committed these terrible crimes, we can go some way to assisting in this process. Justice needs to be delivered for the Yazidi, and those who undertook these atrocities must be brought to account, no matter where they are in the world.

Can I say that I think it is important that this parliament recognises genocides such as those that the Yazidi have suffered. It's an important message to the world community that the international legal and global order will not ever tolerate these types of actions. I look forward to the day when this parliament can consider a similar motion in relation to that long and deeply felt genocide that was perpetrated against the Armenians a hundred years ago.

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