Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in support of the comments made by my colleagues Senator Shoebridge and Senator McKim and to support much of what was said also by Senator Pocock. So much about this illegal war that's come from this government is the height of hypocrisy, of doublespeak and of 'look over here, but don't look over here'. You said so quickly that you support this war because the people of Iran have been subjected to an oppressive regime—no dispute there; everybody knows that. But then you turn around and say that it's equally okay to have and, in fact, you're willing to support the raining down of bombs on that same population.

We are seeing the impact of that. The very first thing that happened as a consequence of this illegal war is that over 150 young schoolgirls, who were getting on with their lives, were bombed to smithereens, and then their parents and responders who came to help and to see this monstrosity were subjected to a second strike. Telling us that the reason you are sending planes and missiles to the UAE is that you care about the plight of Australians and staying mute and doing nothing about the thousands of Australians in Lebanon—there are reports out of Beirut this morning that bombs are raining down on the thousands of displaced people who are sleeping in the streets. It's immoral. It is a war crime, and this government says nothing.

Labor, the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation are cheering on an immoral, illegal war. As my colleagues have said, you are shamelessly associating yourselves, on the part of the government, with brave Iranian soccer players and, as this bill seeks to do, slamming the door on 7,200 other Iranians who are trying to flee that same oppressive regime and who are potentially trying to flee the raining down of US and Israeli missiles and bombs. This is the height of hypocrisy. Clearly, as others have said, you do not want the Australian people to know about this; otherwise, you would send the Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026 to inquiry. Shame on you.

I don't understand how Labor members who supposedly don't agree with this are staying silent. If the leadership of your party is leading you into an illegal, immoral war, then this is the time to stand up and say something. If you all sit silently while your leadership drags our nation into this, you are complicit. Show a backbone. It means nothing when we see articles in the Guardian saying Labor backbenchers are feeling uncomfortable about this.