Andrew Southcott (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Would the minister inform the House of the latest developments in the battle to defeat terrorism in Afghanistan? Would the minister also inform the House of Australia’s progress in the broader war against terrorism?

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

I thank the honourable member for Boothby for his question and for his interest. He is very concerned about these issues and often speaks about them. First, in answer to the honourable member’s question, let me say that we were saddened to hear of the death of the governor of Paktia province in Afghanistan, Hakim Taniwal, who was killed yesterday by a Taliban suicide bomber. He was an Australian citizen. He came to Australia in order to flee from oppression in his country and he returned to Afghanistan in 2002 to contribute to the rebuilding of his country of birth. I would like to extend our condolences to his family in Melbourne. It is a truly sad thing that someone who became an Australian citizen has died in these tragic circumstances, finding his country of birth liberated—a country that was free but a country still under a good deal of pressure.

Today, on 11 September, this is a reminder for all of us that the fight against terrorism is going to continue on a number of fronts. It is also a reminder that Muslims who stand up for democracy and freedom are targeted just as much as, if not more than, Westerners and Western interests.

By the end of 2006, there will be over 300 Australian troops in Afghanistan. We are determined to play our part in denying the terrorists a safe haven and to support the democratically elected government of President Karzai to ensure that we are able to see democracy and freedom flourish in that country. Our first resident ambassador leaves Australia this week. He will lead the new embassy which we are just in the process of opening in Kabul.

In Iraq, also, Australia is continuing to play its part in confronting the terrorists and supporting democracy. In our region, our government has very much led the way in cooperation against terrorism. Our counter-terrorism initiatives since 2004 are worth over $400 million. We have a network of 12 counter-terrorism memoranda of understanding which underpin our cooperation, and this cooperation is delivering results. Over 300 terrorists have been tracked down and arrested in South-East Asia in recent times.

Finally, today we remember the Australians who have been killed in terrorist attacks in Indonesia, in the United States on September 11, in Iraq, in the United Kingdom on 7 July last year, in Afghanistan and indeed elsewhere. We want to take the opportunity to pay a special tribute to the Australian soldiers, the Australian police and even officers of my department who stare down the threat of terrorism every day of their lives in extremely difficult and often very dangerous circumstances.

I think all members of the House know that this government will continue to confront these extremists and to confront their ideology. Very importantly—and let me say this in the presence of the British Lord Chancellor, a member of the British cabinet—we will continue to work with our friends and our allies, including our very traditional allies of Great Britain and the United States of America, in confronting and ultimately defeating terrorism.