Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

This might be helpful for Senator Milne to get a headline, but with great respect she is wrong in relation to her assertion as to what international law may or may not require. One wonders whether the over one million displaced Iraqis were consulted in relation to the actions that have been taken against them. We, as a nation, are joining with other peace-loving democracies in an attempt to lessen the huge horrific burden, indeed extinction, that some of these people are facing. I would have thought, as a minimum, we might have got unanimity from this place, and if not unanimity at least silence and not what appears to be an unfortunate siding with the view that Australia should not be involved in this very important humanitarian exercise.