Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Minchin, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. I refer to the comments of former key tactical planner for the Special Air Service, Peter Tinley, that the Iraq war is immoral and that it was and is a cynical use of the Defence Force by the Howard government. I ask the minister what his response is to this statement by a man right at the thick of the planning for the Iraq war. Directly, is it not a cynical use of the Defence Force by the Howard government? If it is not, could the minister say how it is not?

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brown, I read Mr Tinley’s remarks on the front page of the Australian on the weekend. We note his remarks. As the Prime Minister said at the time that we announced our engagement, there are of course differences of opinion within the Australian community about whether or not we should have joined the coalition in seeking to remove Saddam Hussein from Iraq. No doubt those differences of opinion within the community would have extended to the defence forces themselves, but the defence forces are loyal to the government of the country. If Mr Tinley had that view when he was in the SAS—I do not know; he says now that that is his view—as I say, he is entitled to that view. The government accepts that he is free to express his opinion. That is one of the great things about this country: we respect his right to express his opinions on this matter, and we do not dismiss them lightly. Nevertheless, the government remains strongly committed to its views on this matter and remains strongly committed to—

Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Banking and Financial Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Staying the course.

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Staying the course, as Senator Sherry, no doubt helpfully, said.

Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Banking and Financial Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sherry interjecting—

John Hogg (Queensland, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sherry, it is not your question.

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is our view that our troops in Iraq, as modest as our commitment is, are continuing to make a significant contribution to Iraq’s rehabilitation and reconstruction. They are working very well in southern Iraq in particular to help the Iraqi people restore democracy, peace and freedom to the country. It is the government’s strong view that to do what the Labor Party apparently wants to do—to just cut and run; to leave immediately—would be absolutely disastrous and would be absolutely the wrong thing to do. We are not going to do that. We are not going to simply abandon the Iraqi people at this time. We do not think that is what the Iraqi people want. The Iraqi people desperately want our help and the help of the United States, Britain, Japan and other forces which are there to assist the Iraqi people in their time of need. We are not going to abandon them at the time that they need us. That would be to hand the terrorists a huge victory, which we are simply not going to do.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask a supplementary question, Mr Deputy President. Can the minister give any evidence that the Prime Minister was not aware, at least nine months before the Iraq war, that Australian special services were being involved in planning for the Iraq war? When the minister himself reads about the 21 men and boys—one as young as 12 years old—being dragged out of their houses in Baghdad and shot in the night, how will he sleep?

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In regard to the first part of the question, I am not aware of any reference to the SAS training in advance of our commitment. I can get Senator Brown further information on that matter. In relation to the second part of the question, I do find that quite extraordinary. We had in Saddam Hussein one of the greatest butchers the world has ever known—a man who committed mass murder on his own people. And Senator Brown comes in here and lectures us about what is going on now. Of course we deplore the violence that is going on in Iraq now. Of course we deplore it—what do you think, Senator Brown! But what we also deplore is what Saddam Hussein did to his own people: he butchered his own people, Senator Brown. We did the right thing in getting rid of him.