Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security
2:56 pm
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I refer the foreign minister to the statement of the UN rapporteur on torture on 21 September 2006:
What most people tell you is that the situation as far as torture is concerned now in Iraq is totally out of hand ... The situation is so bad many people say it is worse than it has been in the times of Saddam Hussein.
Does the Minister for Foreign Affairs accept the UN rapporteur’s statement?
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
No, and I think the vast majority of the people of Iraq are very glad they got rid of Saddam Hussein, whatever the Labor Party may think—and you seem terribly disappointed about him having gone.