David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question and I thank him for his contribution earlier today on a motion to suspend standing orders. As you know, the Australian government has taken a very strong position in condemning the actions of the Islamic state in Iraq and the Levant, including the reports of atrocities against civilians, minorities and the security-force opponents of that organisation. ISIL's activities in Syria and Iraq are a major threat to regional and international security. The Prime Minister has said it is important to do what we reasonably can to overt a potential genocide.

We have agreed to joint airlift of military equipment to the Kurdish Peshmerga. This has been agreed to after a request from the Obama administration and with the permission of the Iraqi government. Other countries that are involved in the airlift of military equipment include the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France and Italy. We will transport stores of military equipment, including arms and ammunition, as part of a multinational effort with Royal Australian Air Force C130J Hercules and see C17A Globemaster aircraft, as deployed to the task, as set out and planned by our coalition partners.

We stand ready to participate in further humanitarian airdrops in Iraq. Australia has conducted two humanitarian airdrops to this point, consisting of high-energy biscuits, bottled water and hygiene packs, the latest of which was conducted yesterday to civilians in the isolated Amerli region, which has been surrounded by ISIL forces. We have not yet received a request of any further potential Australian involvement in further military activity. I will leave it there, thank you.