Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Iran has directed antisemitic and hateful attacks on Australian soil. I understand—we understand, as a government—there are a range of views about this conflict in the Australian community. There are those, like Senator Cash, who have a particular view. There are those, like Senator Shoebridge, who have a particular view. There are those, like the Iranian Australian community, many of whom are very supportive of the action that has been taken—not all.

We don't pretend that this isn't a complex and long-running issue, nor does this government ignore the facts. Iran has brought death and destruction under its regime for decades. Those are facts. We do not mourn the passing of Ayatollah Khamenei. I would like to go through what this government has done in respect of Iran since we came to government. I think it is important to note that we have taken stronger action than any previous Australian government. We've expelled the ambassador. We suspended operations at our embassy in Tehran. We've listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a state sponsor of terrorism. We've sanctioned more than 200 Iranian linked individuals, more than 100 of whom are linked to the IRGC.

I make the point that those opposite really want this debate. They want the politics of this debate. But, in nine long years in government, there was not one new sanction on Iran. There was not one word of complaint when Iran was elected to the Commission on the Status of Women, a committee they're a member of. Now, this party teams up with the Greens to have a political stunt to show how tough they are on Iran.

Finally, I will close with an amendment. As I said, I saw Senator Cash's motion, not because she sent it to me but because it was circulated. I think I received it while I was sitting in the cabinet. Our amendment is only in relation to paragraphs (a) and (b) and to add two additional paragraphs. I move the amendment as circulated:

Omit paragraphs (a) and (b), insert:

a) Supports efforts by the United States and Israel to prevent the Iranian regime from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent Iran from continuing to threaten international peace and security;

b) Stands in solidarity with the Iranian Australian community, and recognise their relief of Iranian Australians following the death of Ayatollah Khamenei, a brutal dictator who has oppressed the Iranian people for decades;

c) Condemns the Iranian regime for its decades of attacks and destabilisation of its neighbours, through its ballistic missile and nuclear programs and support for armed proxies;

d) Calls for dialogue and the pursuit of diplomatic pathways to restore peace and security;

It is an opportunity for there to be a sensible motion before the chamber. Again, I would say that, as a matter of courtesy to the chamber, if the chamber had wanted an organised debate on Iran, the government would have facilitated it. But you chose not to do that. Senators Cash and Shoebridge chose to delay the Closing the gap report to date, which was scheduled, in a suspension of standing orders because they both have a similar agenda, which is to try and elevate the politics of this issue. We're not focused on the politics of this issue. We're focused on the 115,000 Australians who are in the region and on continuing to put our view as to a future for the region in which all peoples of the region know peace and stability.