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

I thank the senator for her question and for her contribution over a long period of time to the Australian Defence Force. I was asked last week by my Prime Minister to travel to Baghdad. There I met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and other senior government officials. During these very collaborative meetings I had the opportunity to discuss the current challenges faced by the Iraqi government in Baghdad in dealing with ISIL, or Da'ish as the Gulf countries call them. Iraq is a country that we need to be helping right now. I met with the newly formed government, which is a cohesive, inclusive one that is also intent on stabilising and regaining control of their nation. Australia, as many of us know, is standing ready with more than 40 other nations to help the Iraqi government disrupt and degrade the ISIL death cult. There are now an estimated 1.8 million internally displaced people in Iraq, with an estimated 600,000 having been displaced in August following an upsurge of violence in various parts of the country.

During my talks with the Iraqi Prime Minister I reaffirmed to him Australia's commitment to the international effort to disrupt and degrade ISIL and to help the Iraqi security forces to take the fight to these terrorists. I also reaffirmed this commitment in meetings with US officials who were in Iraq. It is of course in Australia's very best interests that we stand ready with the world to help the Iraqi government and to protect the people of Iraq.