Jana Stewart (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The conflict in the Middle East has entered a dangerous and deeply concerning phase. Iran's reprisal attacks continue to escalate in both scale and reach. And now we see 12 countries in the region being targeted by missile and drone strikes. This is not abstract geopolitics. This is a direct threat to civilian life, to regional stability and to Australian citizens abroad. The United Arab Emirates alone has shot down more than 1,500 rockets and drones in recent days. Among those at risk are thousands of Australians who live and work in the Gulf. There are around 115,000 Australians currently in the Middle East, including approximately 24,000 in the UAE. Their safety is the first priority of the Albanese government.

In response to requests from our Gulf partners, the government has decided to deploy an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft with Australian Defence Force personnel to the region for an initial four-week period. Having recently supported Ukraine with advance radar and reconnaissance capability, the Wedgetail will help secure Gulf airspace, strengthen early warning systems and protect civilians from incoming threats.

Australia is not taking offensive action against Iran, and we are not deploying Australian troops on the ground in Iran. I'll repeat that for those who are unclear or who want to put a whole bunch of misinformation about Australia's role in this conflict: we are not taking offensive action against Iran and we are not deploying Australian troops on the ground in Iran. As is our longstanding practice, deployed ADF assets will operate in accordance with Australian law, policy and directives, and the government will notify the United Nations Security Council of relevant actions taken under article 51 of the UN Charter.

Our diplomatic and consular efforts are moving with equal urgency, with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade activating its crisis centre and deploying response teams to the region. More than 2,600 Australians have returned home, though challenges persist as commercial flights are disrupted and airspace closures continue to evolve. We continue to advise Australians to not travel to the region and those already there to leave as soon as it's safe to do so.

In that same context we cannot overlook the women and children who remain stranded in parts of Syria as a result of travelling into a region consumed by conflict. Their circumstances stand as a sobering reminder of how quickly individuals can become trapped in perilous environments when wars escalate or extremist ideologies take hold. It is a tragedy that anyone should find themselves caught between remnants of such violence and instability. The government continues to approach these matters with discipline and resolve, guided by compassion where it is warranted but uncompromising in its commitment to Australia's safety and national security.

Our response in this parliament must be marked by three qualities: courage to stand with partners in defence of civilians, international peace and security; kindness to support Australians and others whose lives have been upended by this conflict; and stoicism to act calmly and deliberately, refusing to be driven by fear or partisan pointscoring at a moment of genuine peril. Australia's role is not to inflame this conflict but to help contain it, to protect Australian lives and to uphold our commitment to the safety and dignity of all people. That is and will remain the first duty of this government.