George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Back. Australia is working with our international partners to keep Australians safe and to protect and advance our interests at home and abroad. The escalating terror situation in Iraq and Syria poses an increasing threat unlike any this country has experienced in recent times to the security of the strains both here and overseas.

This week the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Defence are travelling to Wales to attend the 2014 and NATO summit on 4 and 5 September. This important meeting will be attended by 60 world leaders, 70 foreign ministers, 70 defence ministers and 28 NATO member countries. The foreign and defence ministers' attendance at this important international summit demonstrates Australia's commitment to our own national security, to the international community's security, and to the continued development and growth of our international partnerships. The summit and the defence minister's meetings will focus on Iraq; Afghanistan, including the post-2014 true commitment; Russia's military aggression towards Ukraine; and NATO's plans to strengthen its relationship with defence partners.