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

Yes, I can. Thank you, Senator Bushby. In the Prime Minister's national security statement last Monday, he announced that the government was considering listing the Mosul district of Nineveh province in Iraq as a declared area under section 119.3 of the Criminal Code. That follows the foreign minister's declaration of Al-Raqqa province on 4 December last. Today the foreign minister has declared the area of Mosul district, making it an offence under section 119.2 of the Criminal Code to enter or remain in the Mosul district without a legitimate purpose. The offence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.

ISIL seized control of Mosul on 10 June 2014, at the beginning of its offensive through northern and western Iraq. Since that time, Mosul has served as ISIL's primary stronghold in northern Iraq, from which they have undertaken all manner of barbaric and hostile activities against the Iraqi people and their government, including beheadings and sexual slavery. Foreign fighters and supporters of foreign conflicts pose a significant threat to Australia and our way of life. This government is committed to doing all it can to prevent Australians from providing any support to ISIL and other terrorist organisations. That includes making it an offence to travel to strongholds of ISIL such as Mosul.

The government will continue to monitor the actions of ISIL and other terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq and will give consideration to declaring additional areas where there are groups engaging in hostile activities and where the grounds set out in the legislation warrant it.