House debates
Wednesday, 28 February 2024
Questions without Notice
Middle East: Occupied Palestinian Territories
2:52 pm
Kylea Tink (North Sydney, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday, others from the crossbench and I were briefed by the director of UNRWA in Gaza on the dire humanitarian situation there. He confirmed that, unless funds previously committed by countries like Australia were reinstated as a matter of urgency, UNRWA's entire humanitarian operation in Gaza would collapse by the end of March. This will be devastating for the region, ending medical and emergency accommodation services in Gaza as well as schooling for thousands of refugee children. Prime Minister, when will the government reinstate the additional $6 million for UNRWA?
2:53 pm
Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I thank the member for her question. The government, when we came to office, doubled our funding for UNRWA, up to above $20 million. We have forwarded every single dollar of that doubling of support for people largely of Gaza but also the West Bank to provide that essential humanitarian support—food and the essentials of life. We are greatly concerned, as has been indicated by the joint statement that I released with the Prime Minister of Canada and the Prime Minister of New Zealand, about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which is why we have made a very clear statement about that issue.
We suspended the additional funding to UNRWA whilst allegations were being dealt with about where those dollars potentially were going, and we did so on the same basis of like minded countries, such as Canada, who have joined with us in calling for a humanitarian ceasefire and in calling for increased support for humanitarian assistance in Gaza. We did that because that is the principled and right thing to do.
I do note that, in the member's question, as well as other commentary that has been made publicly, it seems to be completely dismissed that we've delivered double the funding that the former government had.
Well, it wasn't in the question at all, member for North Sydney. There's a lot of misinformation here that is going around. I am very concerned about social disharmony in this country as a result of disinformation that is being spread throughout the community. That does nothing to advance the interests of the people of Gaza, the people of the West Bank or the people of Israel. What my statement with the prime ministers of Canada and New Zealand made very clear was this government's support for a two-state solution and this government's support for peace and security in the region. We have had—
Max Chandler-Mather (Griffith, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
When will you restore the funding?
Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The member for Griffith will cease interjecting.
Kylea Tink (North Sydney, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Excuse me, Mr Speaker.
Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The Prime Minister has concluded his answer, so you'll need to state the point of order. It's not a time to just get up and state your view. The member for North Sydney has the call and will state the point of order.
Kylea Tink (North Sydney, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The point of order about disrespect. I don't—