Lisa Darmanin (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Albanese government has been very clear on this issue. We are not taking offensive action against Iran and we are not deploying Australian troops on the ground in Iran. It's not often that I agree with comments from those opposite, but I do with what Senator Paterson talked about earlier around misinformation and the peddling of misinformation in this debate. It is unhelpful at best, is contributing to the enormous unease and fear across the Australian community and is simply incorrect.

Let's clarify the facts. The first priority of the Albanese government is and always will be to keep Australians safe. The actions that we are taking are framed around this purpose and this purpose alone. Right now, as Senator Mulholland said earlier, there are around 115,000 Australians in the Middle East—around 24,000 in the United Arab Emirates. For those Australians and for their families here at home, this is an incredibly difficult and uncertain time. More than 2,600 Australians have now returned home with the assistance of the government, but significant challenges remain, and further work is underway to support those that are still seeking to leave. That includes working closely with partners across the region, deploying DFAT personnel as part of the crisis response teams and providing consular support.

But helping Australians also means helping the defence of countries where Australians live and travel. What we have seen is unprecedented. Iran has launched attacks on 12 countries across the region, from Cyprus to the gulf. Dubai airport has been under fire from Iranian missiles and drones. Since 28 February, more than 27,000 flights to and from the Middle East have been cancelled, with an estimated 4.4 million airline seats removed from schedules. These developments are serious, and the scale and reach of these attacks are contributing to an increasingly volatile security environment in the region.

Australia supported action aimed at preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and preventing Iran from continuing to threaten international peace and security. Our position remains that we do not want to see the conflict continue to escalate, and we call on all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilian life. The situation is deteriorating, and it may well get worse before it improves. The growing wave of dangerous and destabilising attacks from Iran puts Australian lives and interests at risk. That is why the government has taken the decision to deploy defensive capabilities to the region to support the protection of civilians and Australian nationals.

In responding to the request from President Mohammed bin Zayed, of the United Arab Emirates, and others, in response to armed attacks on the territory of gulf nations by Iran, Australia will deploy a E-7A Wedgetail to the gulf to help protect and defend Australians and other civilians. As Senator Mulholland outlined, Australians may remember that the E-7A Wedgetail was recently deployed to Europe as part of Australia's assistance to Ukraine. As it did in Ukraine, the E-7A Wedgetail will provide long-range, critical surveillance, communications and early warning capabilities, which will help secure the airspace above the gulf. The aircraft and its supporting Australian Defence Force personnel will be leaving Australia today, and it is expected it will be operational by the end of the week. The deployment will initially operate for four weeks in support of the collective self-defence of gulf nations. In addition, the Albanese government intends to provide advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles to support the UAE's defensive capabilities. As always, deployed ADF assets will operate according to Australian law, Australian policy and Australian directives.

Let me be very clear. All these measures are about the defence of gulf nations and, most importantly, the protection of Australians. In accordance with our international obligations, the government will notify the United Nations Security Council of relevant actions taken under article 51 of the United Nations Charter. At a time of growing instability in the region, the government's focus remains exactly where it should be—protecting Australians, supporting regional stability and working to prevent further escalation. We must unite and lead on this one.