Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Would the minister update the House on Australia’s policy in relation to Iraq and our contribution to building democracy there? Is the minister aware of any criticism of Australia’s policy?

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

Firstly, I thank the honourable member for his question and his interest. The Australian Defence Force has a deployment at the request of the Iraqi government, along with other international forces, of about 1,400, who have been transferring responsibility as time has gone on to the Iraqis in Al Muthanna province. In the process, they have been training up Iraqi forces and they have been helping, in Dhi Qar province, to provide security for the Iraqis. We also have the Navy involved, heading a coalition naval force of 10 ships, including the Royal Australian Naval vessel, Warramunga, which are protecting oil platforms. We have committed over $173 million to help with rehabilitation, reconstruction, elections, the Iraqi Special Tribunal and establishing electricity and water systems.

This is a country with millions of people who risked their lives to vote for a democratically elected government. It wants coalition forces to remain for the time being, and we are staying there and helping them for the time being. We on this side of the House are proud of what we do. Are there any criticisms? Yes; the Labor Party, in particular, is the chief critic of the government on this issue and argues that the more appropriate course of action would be to surrender. On this side of the House we do not warm to the notion of surrender or hauling up the white flag. One of the reasons that we are not in favour of surrender is that we believe it would only enhance the terrorist movement internationally, including in our own region. The Labor Party likes to quote from the American National Intelligence Estimate global terrorism report. I will also quote from it. That report said:

... perceived jihadist success there would inspire more fighters to continue the struggle elsewhere.

I think that pretty much sums it up.

On ABC radio this morning, the member for Griffith admitted, ‘Jihadists flow into that country’—being Iraq—‘from all directions.’ The interviewer asked the member for Griffith not once, not twice—I cannot keep going on—but eight times on AM this morning what the consequences would be if international forces just fled from Iraq, and the member for Griffith refused to answer that question eight times. Eight times he refused to answer a simple question about what the consequences would be of the Leader of the Opposition’s cut-and-run policy in Iraq. Of course, when the Leader of the Opposition was on the Jon Faine program, it was exactly the same story. Quizzed on that program about how quickly he would pull the troops out, the Leader of the Opposition said that he would discuss that with the Americans and went on to say: ‘How long is it going to take you’—that is, the Americans—‘to put in people to replace us?’

In other words, the Leader of the Opposition’s proposition is that this great country would pull out its forces and ask others to do the job for us. We would go to our ally, the Americans, in the morally bankrupt way that the Leader of the Opposition proposes and say to the Americans, ‘Find someone else to do this job. We are too weak to continue with it.’ Not in the history of this country have we been governed by people as weak as that and this government would never do that sort of thing. The fact is that the Labor Party has the view that it is onto a winner with its cut-and-run policy from Iraq. But it cannot answer the question and it will not answer the question: what are the consequences in the war against terrorism? What are the consequences for international security and what are the consequences for the people of Iraq of the Labor Party’s weak and gutless policy?

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and it goes to the basis of his abusive answers in this place which he persistently delivers. I refer the minister to previous statements on Iraq in this place and his arrogant and extreme remarks on his government’s decision to take Australia to war. Aren’t the minister’s remarks all about compensating for his guilty conscience on Iraq: guilty of taking Australia to the wrong war, guilty of making Australians a bigger target for terrorists, guilty of constantly shifting the goalposts on our troops and guilty of turning a blind eye while Australian money bought bullets fired on our troops?

Opposition Members:

Guilty!

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

Order! I say to the Leader of the Opposition that to accuse a minister of guilt requires a substantive motion. I will allow him to rephrase his question if he wishes to ask the question again.

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

I am quite happy to answer the question. The Labor Party says, ‘Guilty!’ Indeed! Guilty of standing up for the free people of Iraq, guilty of getting rid of Saddam Hussein’s evil regime—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

I have allowed the minister to answer the question. He will be heard.

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

As I was saying, I am guilty of standing up for the people of Iraq, the people who had the courage to go and vote in those elections and the people who had the courage to put in place a democratic government. Yes, I am a guilty man standing up for those people.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

I am guilty of helping to get rid of Saddam Hussein’s evil regime. I am guilty of that. A man who started a war with his neighbours and killed a million people in that war, a man who slaughtered the Shia majority—

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

The level of interjections is far too high. The minister will be heard.

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

The Labor Party is guilty. The Labor Party is guilty of being weak. The Labor Party is guilty of pursuing a policy which would lead to a victory for terrorists. The Labor Party is guilty of wanting to keep in place Saddam Hussein’s regime.

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, I rise on a point of order. Will you ask Saddam’s biggest bagman to return to the question?

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

The member for Griffith has already been warned. That was not a point of order. He will excuse himself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Griffith then left the chamber.

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

Finally, the Leader of the Opposition is guilty of grossly misleading this House yesterday when he said that the government had lied about weapons of mass destruction. Yet he himself said on 7 February 2003:

No foreign office or defence department official anywhere on the globe entertains the view that Iraq does not have weapons of mass destruction.

The Leader of the Opposition—if ever there were somebody guilty—is guilty of misleading this House.

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Swan interjecting

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

Order! The member for Lilley!

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

And his greatest failing of all—

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Swan interjecting

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

Order! The member for Lilley is warned!

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

is that he is a weak man.