Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Given confirmation by the Prime Minister today that he is in active talks with the United States government about Australian military engagement in Syria, firstly, is it appropriate to announce Australian military intervention into the horror of the Syrian civil war by leaking the proposed deployment to a tabloid newspaper? Secondly, can the minister provide any evidence that such a deployment would be legal under international law?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What the honourable senator is seeking to do by the assertion that there was a leak to a tabloid newspaper is something that I will not accept, of course.

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They can predict the future can they?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Greens interjects and asks, 'They can predict the future, can they?' We have often seen leaks in the newspapers that make for a great headline but an even better fish and chip wrapper the next day. I would invite the honourable senator to see exactly what develops in this very sensitive space. We know that in relation to Syria there are certain issues that require sensitivity. In all this discussion, what is the aim of the world community? It is to destroy the death cult—something which, unfortunately, Greens senator after Greens senator has opposed by some very bizarre questions in this place. Again, I would like to place on record that the Daesh death cult, ISIS, is a manifestation of a very evil body of men, and I can say men in this case—

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order on relevance. Through you, Mr President, Senator Abetz, you can avoid the leak question if you like. I asked a fairly black and white question to relevance as to whether the deployment would be legal under international law and what evidence Senator Abetz has to back that case.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you Senator Ludlam. Senator Abetz has 31 seconds left. He has been answering the first part of your question, and I will remind Senator Abetz of the question.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In relation to the hypothetical, the only purpose that we would be doing anything would be to help destroy this evil cult.

Government senators interjecting—

Regrettably, I only hear 'here, here!' from the government side. I would have thought the Greens might have been able to agree to that for once. In relation to legal advice, the government rarely makes that available, as is well known.

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. The UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, has said he would seek support of his MPs to begin bombing raids in Syria, and it is interesting to note that when Westminster last voted on the question, in 2013, they voted 'no'. Will the government commit to bringing any deployment proposal into Syria before this Australian parliament before the ADF is committed to involvement in Syria?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is a question that the Greens ask with a degree of regularity, and it is good to see they are at least consistent on one policy position, and that is that they do not seem to support any action against this evil death cult. It is well known that in Australia we do not bring these matters before the parliament before the event that there are occasions when the parliament is opened up for particular discussions and reports by the Minister for Defence, and that statement is then debated in this place and in the other place. I recall this happening on numerous occasions, irrespective of who was in government, and we believe that that is the appropriate way for these things to be managed.

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Senator Abetz—through you, Mr President—what commitments have been made by the Prime Minister to the United States already with respect to involvement of Australian military forces in the Syrian conflict, and is this not the very definition of open-ended scope creep, as we predicted a year ago?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

First, I reject the description and the statement that was asserted by Senator Ludlam in his question. Can I simply say that this is an evil death cult which has ramifications all around the world, including in Australia, and we do need to take decisive action. What that decisive action may or may not mean will be determined by us as to what is in the national interest and in the international interest according to the rule of law. Can I tell you one thing: the death cult have never abided by the rule of law, and we see their behaviours around the world as evil. Senator Ludlam shakes his head. If he thinks beheading on video and children holding the head are something that is not to be fought and not to be condemned then we are on a different page. (Time expired)