Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Hopefully finally in relation to that—and I am very grateful for the patience of Senator Feeney and that of the officers of the department—before troops are put in an operation, will questions be asked of our ally who could be using cluster munitions whether cluster munitions are likely to be used? In other words, is one of the rules of engagement that we ask that question and then consider our treaty obligations in that context? Or is it a question of being in the middle of an operation and cluster munitions suddenly are being used when it was not even asked as to whether they were going to be used or not or if there was a likelihood that they were going to be used? I think that would be a relevant issue to raise.