Tony Smith (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Would the minister inform the House of the government’s plan to fight terrorism in our region and is the minister aware of any criticism of this plan?

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

First, I thank the honourable member for Casey for his interest and for his question. I think all of us are reminded by the events in Britain in the last week of the continuing threat of global terrorism and the importance of international cooperation. That has always been this government’s approach. We know that we need to work with other countries to defeat terrorism. We know that it will be a long and hard battle and that it requires a lot of courage and strength to take it on.

Last Thursday the Leader of the Opposition made a speech to the Lowy Institute, which I sat and read myself, because I am hardworking, I read the newspapers and I read people’s speeches and I like to know what is going on. I read this speech and I noticed the Leader of the Opposition running his usual line that we should admit defeat in Iraq, we should surrender in Iraq and we should run away from the terrorists and give them a magnificent and enormous victory in Iraq, but we should fight terrorism in Afghanistan, and the speech goes on to say:

But we should bring our troops home, and I want our troops in our region now.

They are the exact words he used in his speech—I read it.

Bring the troops from Iraq and put them somewhere in our region.

Where these troops would be sent would be a matter of great interest to the government. But the Leader of the Opposition goes on to make a point that this government does not do anything to address counter-terrorism in our region. Elect the Leader of the Opposition and, no doubt, all of these problems would be solved overnight. The government is doing an enormous amount to help fight terrorism in our region. We have, for example, 12 memoranda of understanding on counter-terrorism with countries in our region, out of which comes an enormous array of activities. In the last budget—if the Leader of the Opposition had chosen to read the last budget or had concentrated on it—the government committed nearly $100 million—$92.6 million—over four years to boost regional counter-terrorism capabilities. That is a total of something like $400 million that we have spent on enhancing regional counter-terrorism capabilities since 2004.

The Australian government convened, with the Indonesian government, a ministerial summit on counter-terrorism, bringing together countries of the region. Out of that was established what is called JCLEC, the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation. Something like 1,200 security officers have already been trained by this Jakarta centre—thanks to Australia, and obviously the Indonesians—in support of other countries in the region. In South-East Asia some 300 terrorists have been tracked down and brought to justice. I think we in this country should pay tribute to the work that the Indonesian government has done.

The point I make is this: the Leader of the Opposition professes to be some sort of an expert on foreign and defence policy. Indeed, I think members of the House may recall that he once said his only ambition was to be the defence minister—one he has fulfilled. That probably pretty much sums it up. But my contention here, in answer to the honourable member’s question, is that the Leader of the Opposition should read what the government is doing, he should understand what the government is doing—

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, how is this of any relevance—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the member for Griffith raising a point of order?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to Saddam Hussein’s favourite bagman?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! If the member for Griffith wishes to raise a point of order, he will make it clear from the start and go straight to his point of order.

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

I make the point that it is incumbent on somebody in the position of Leader of the Opposition to read what the government is doing and understand what the government is doing, not make lazy allegations. By the way, I congratulate the Australian today on offering him a free subscription to their newspaper. Let me suggest to the opposition leader: it is a good read today; you should have a good look at it. There are things in it that might interest you.