Eric Hutchinson (Lyons, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would also like to acknowledge the contribution that my colleague the member for Bass has made in defence of our nation over many, many years. Indeed, protecting and keeping Australians safe is the first and fundamental role of government. The bipartisan approach, the support that we have received in this from the Labor Party and those opposite, is indeed welcome. It is not an attack on religion. It is not an attack on any religion. It is, indeed, an attack on terrorism: criminals and people who wish to do us harm because of who we are and what we believe in. The very best way to respond to this is to go about our business with the knowledge that the security and intelligence forces, and the agencies, are doing their job. The government is doing everything it can to keep Australia safe, and we should go about our business as normal.

The armchair experts, the keyboard warriors, and the anonymity that social media provides concern me most—uninformed opinion suggesting that this is motivated from a political perspective. It is not. It is dangerous; it is ill-informed and it is simply baseless in fact. The decisions government make are based on information that is received by our security and intelligence divisions—the Federal Police, ASIO or ASIS. Social media is being used as a weapon by ISIS to inspire and attract support from marginalised youths, in the main, from around the world. It is believed that up to 12,000, maybe even more—15,000 was mentioned the other day—foreigners are fighting under the flag of the death cult that is ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Unlike Afghanistan, this part of the world is far more accessible, and this is exacerbating the propensity of young people to travel to this part of the world. The role and responsibility that the media play in reporting and commentating on this is also significant. Speculating does nothing and this is, in my humble opinion, fundamentally dangerous.

It is a role of government and a responsibility of government—and it is what is expected of government—to keep Australians safe. Indeed, that is what this government is doing, led ably by the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, and Foreign Minister Bishop, and the security and intelligence personnel that are informing the decisions that the government is making.

I also call on the members of the Greens to refrain from the political posturing and the very dangerous speculation in which they have been engaging. They represent, in fact, less than 10 per cent of Australians, and once again they appear to be completely out of touch with mainstream Australian views. I trust and believe that Tasmania is perhaps one of the safest places on earth to be. One would hope it is the safest place, indeed, in our country. However, the potential for the attack on any Australian is an attack on every Australian, no matter where they live. It is an attack on our values and our way of life because of who we are and how we live.

More than 20 fighters have returned from Syria and Iraq, and we are aware of more than 60 currently fighting overseas with ISIS. More than 100 people are supporting their activities here in Australia, and many others have had their passports confiscated for fear—and information that would suggest—that they would also like to leave Australia to fight in the Middle East. We are also aware that there were two-thirds of those, albeit much smaller, numbers that returned from Afghanistan, who were involved—and ultimately charged—with crimes relating to terrorism. The threat is real and the actions that the government are taking in relation to security are indeed vital.

The tragic events in Melbourne last week raise the question as to why a young man would be motivated to attack public officers. For many Australians it is completely unimaginable, and indeed chilling, that we have such thoughts and such deeds occurring amongst us. I feel for his family. My thoughts also are with the officers that, in their line of duty, were injured and their families, that must have suffered also.

I remind you that this is indeed different to 2003. This conflict is reaching out to us and we must respond. We will indeed be judged very harshly if we do not. Leadership is being shown on the global stage. President Obama, leaders of Middle Eastern countries, and Muslim and other religious leaders from around the world understand the threat and, rightly, are condemning the actions of a group that do not act in the name of any religion. This is a barbaric and evil death cult. Leadership is being shown locally by community and religious leaders. I commend them for their work in condemning terrorism and their support for the government's work.

Finally, I repeat the words of the Prime Minister:

First, the government will do whatever is possible to keep people safe; second, our security measures at home and abroad are directed against terrorism, not religion; and third, Australians should always live normally because the terrorists' goal is to scare us out of being ourselves.

IS is neither Islamic—they act not in the name of Islam—nor a state. It is an evil death cult and I support the government wholeheartedly in their actions at this time.

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