David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

As a senator for the ACT, I never expected to spend so much time here in the chamber speaking about international relations. But here I am again. What's happening overseas has an impact on our multicultural Australia. Many Canberrans are writing to me expressing their concern with the Australian government's position of apparently uncritical support for the actions of our US allies regardless of their consistency with international law.

I'm hearing about Lebanese Australians deeply concerned about what is happening in Lebanon, and I raise this today because we've again heard very little from the Australian government in the face of deeply concerning actions that, on the face of it, seemed to breach international law. Earlier this year, we saw appalling attacks by the IRGC against Iranian civilians and thousands upon thousands of innocents brutally murdered. While I know that many in the Iranian community welcomed the subsequent intervention by the US and Israel and the removal of the ayatollah, many in the Lebanese community now watch on in horror, and fear for loved ones, as the conflict spreads to attacks in Lebanon. I want to recognise your fear and concern. There are reports of more than a million Lebanese people displaced within Lebanon. Human Rights Watch researchers say they have confirmed that Israel is using white phosphorus to scorch the earth in southern Lebanon.

I recognise that the Australian government, earlier this week, provided an additional $5 million in humanitarian aid to civilians impacted by the ongoing conflict in Lebanon, with the Minister for Foreign Affairs calling on all parties to 'adhere to international humanitarian law' and calling for 'the protection of civilians and aid workers'. But the comments seem very muted in the face of what is being reported. We need more consistency, as a middle power, and we need to call out these sorts of breaches of international law, regardless of who does them.