Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency:

The mounting need for Australia to deliver a further package of military, humanitarian and energy assistance to Ukraine, especially given the failure of the recent Budget to provide any new support and Australia's slippage in support relative to likeminded partners.

I rise to speak on this motion regarding the urgent need for Australia to provide more assistance to the Ukraine government. We have all seen the horrific human impact of Russia's invasion. We've all seen clear evidence of war crimes against both Ukrainian soldiers and the civilian population. We've seen the deliberate bombing of civilian residences, hospitals, power infrastructure and other non-military targets in tactics designed to inflict suffering and death on the Ukrainian population. And it is plain that defeating Russia's invasion is critical not only for Ukraine but also for the rest of the world. Putin must not be allowed to send a message to his fellow authoritarian leaders that they can invade any neighbouring country and obtain victory, particularly if that victory comes through an unwillingness of the West to do what needs to be done to defeat Russia's aggression, an aggression which will only grow if they are successful in defeating Ukraine.

At the outset of Russia's invasion, Australia was at the forefront of providing assistance to the people of Ukraine. Under the former coalition government, Australia was one of the earliest and biggest non-NATO contributors to Ukraine. Our support covered assistance across the humanitarian, military, energy and visa categories and included $285 million in military assistance; $65 million in humanitarian assistance; funding to NATO's trust fund for Ukraine to support non-lethal military equipment and medical supplies; and the delivery of 60 pallets of medical supplies donated by Australians to the Ukrainian government, along with three pallets of radiation-monitoring equipment and personal protective equipment. We gave priority to family stream visa applications from Ukrainian nationals and established a new temporary humanitarian visa for Ukrainians arriving in Australia, which enabled them to study, work and access Medicare while here. Since February, more than 9½ thousand visas have been granted to Ukrainians to come to Australia. We also provided funding to a range of NGOs and community groups to support the provision of aid, donations and support to the refugees and citizens of Ukraine.

But now we have a situation where Australia has dramatically slipped down the list of nations providing assistance to Ukraine. This situation could not be more urgent. For months, the Ukrainian government has been pleading for vital military equipment and resources to support its counteroffensive. They have made a series of specific requests of Australia for equipment which could help the Ukrainians to gain decisive ground in their battle against Russia. These requests have been within our capacity to meet.

Yet, at the recent Senate estimates just a couple of weeks ago, key departments, including the Department of Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, stated that there is no provision at all in their budgets for additional support to Ukraine. It seems that assistance to Ukraine is caught up in the same situation as the rest of our defence budget, with the Albanese government demanding cuts in defence to pay for other priorities. We urge the swift announcement of a new and comprehensive package of Australian military, humanitarian and energy assistance to Ukraine, underpinned by thorough consideration of the Ukrainian government's specific requests, including for Hawkeis, M1 Abrams tanks, F/A-18 Hornets and de-mining equipment and detectors.

If, for some reason, these capabilities cannot be made available to the Ukrainian government, we urge this government to explain today to the Senate why not and to provide an alternative package of support. I don't think it would be any surprise to anybody listening along to this debate at home that Ukraine cannot wait for this assistance. They cannot wait for a media announcement timed to coincide with a prime ministerial visit or the government's media schedule. They need a commitment now and they need that commitment followed by swift delivery. I urge the government speakers today to provide clarity on when our next package of assistance to Ukraine will be announced and to guarantee that we in Australia are doing whatever is necessary to meet the requests that Ukraine has made.