Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

It is vital for global security and stability that we defeat Daesh in Iraq and Syria to deny it a base of operations and a narrative of its success. This narrative has been used as a key social media recruitment tool to attract foreign fighters from around the world—and we know that that has included Australia. It has also used that narrative to radicalise vulnerable youth in many countries to act with appalling violence against their fellow citizens, and we have seen that most recently in Spain, Finland and the United Kingdom as a number of examples.

We know that fleeing Daesh fighters will seek refuge and a new base of operations somewhere around the world, and our region is vulnerable to that exploitation. Recognising this threat and the challenges that we face, the member nations of the Five Power Defence Arrangements have, for example, agreed to strengthen their focus on counterterrorism as a recognition of the regional challenge. That's why Australia continues to make a substantial air and land— (Time expired)