Kim Beazley Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:48 pm
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. It relates to the $300 million kickback that his ministry and he turned a blind eye to and its relationship to terrorism. Given Australia’s anti-terrorist-financing laws, has the foreign minister asked the governments of Israel and Jordan to investigate whether the money paid by AWB into Saddam Hussein’s bank account at the Rafidain Bank in Amman was used by the Iraqi dictator to pay the families of Palestinian suicide bombers?
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
I will tell the House one thing—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
From March 2003, Saddam Hussein was not paying any money into any account anywhere. Saddam Hussein was overthrown and there was no risk after March 2003 of Saddam Hussein funding terrorists.
Kim Beazley Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The opposition wants to know if money that this government allowed—
David Hawker Speaker
If the Leader of the Opposition is raising a point of order, he will come to his point of order.
Kim Beazley Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
to go across to Saddam Hussein was paid to the family of suicide bombers.
David Hawker Speaker
If the Leader of the Opposition wishes to raise a point of order, he will come to his point of order.
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Since March 2003, Saddam Hussein has paid no money to terrorists, and he has not paid money to terrorists—
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House
What about before that?
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
because Saddam Hussein’s regime was overthrown and, subsequently, towards the end of 2003, he was arrested.
Roger Price Chifley, Australian Labor Party
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order that goes to relevance. The question asked whether the minister had asked two governments to investigate.
David Hawker Speaker
The minister is answering the substance of the question.
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
I do not need to ask any government whether getting rid of Saddam Hussein stopped Saddam Hussein funding terrorism, because it did. But I do know that if the Leader of the Opposition’s policy had remained in place Saddam Hussein would still be funding terrorism, and you would have that on your conscience.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Honourable Members: