Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question and the interest he has in Iraq. Obviously the Australian government does have a good relationship with the government of Iraq and the people of Iraq, and I think it is important we do so. The Prime Minister has visited Iraq on a number of occasions; the Minister for Defence, Dr Nelson, and his predecessor, Robert Hill, visited Iraq on a number of occasions; and I have as well. This is a very strong relationship, and I know from talking to the Iraqis that they appreciate very much the work we do to help the Iraqi security forces defeat terrorists and insurgents.

As the Leader of the Opposition often likes to point out, this is a very difficult task. We remain committed to the task—to training the security forces and to providing security overwatch from the Tallil air base in the south of Iraq. We also remain committed to protecting our embassy and our embassy staff who are working in Iraq. They are doing a good job. Our embassy staff help with the administration of our aid program to the embattled people of Iraq. Our embassy staff obviously help to promote our commercial interests and advance our political interests, so it is important we keep them going. Indeed, just yesterday I announced the appointment of Marc Innes-Brown, who is an exceptional officer in my department, as the next ambassador to Iraq.

Members will of course be aware of a rocket attack that injured four officers from our security detachment in Baghdad on Monday. One of the corporals—a female corporal; the Minister for Defence will correct me if I am wrong—is still in hospital, but I understand she is in good condition. Our thoughts are with those soldiers, and they are with the diplomats whom they protect. It is tough, but it is vital work.

Yes, this approach is criticised by the Leader of the Opposition and those who work with him. The member for Barton, for example, rather surprisingly was reported in today’s Financial Review and yesterday on the radio as having said that, following Monday’s attack, we should shut down our embassy in Baghdad altogether; we should move it out of Iraq. I would say only this: we will not be doing that. If somebody attacks our embassy, our—I mean the coalition’s, the Howard government’s—instinctive reaction is not to close our embassy and run away. We did not close our embassy in Jakarta when it was bombed. We stuck it out. And we are going to do the same thing in Baghdad as well.

Every time Australian interests are threatened or attacked overseas, the Leader of the Opposition’s response is to haul up the white flag. It is always to call for surrender. He says we should surrender in Iraq to the insurgents and the terrorists. He says surrender is the best policy. And we say: to fight determinedly beside the people of Iraq is the best policy. You cannot see John Howard surrendering, as the Leader of the Opposition likes to. And when there is an attack on some Australian personnel, we do not. And you cannot see John Howard putting out a press release saying, ‘Let’s close our embassy.’ No, we are too strong for that, but for the Leader of the Opposition his constant companion is the white flag.

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