Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, Review of the re-listing of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and I move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

I seek leave to have the tabling statement incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

Mr President, on behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security I have pleasure in presenting the Committee’s report entitled Review of the Re-listing of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). This organisation is also known as the People’s Congress of Kurdistan, Kongra-Gel, KADEK, Kongra-Gele Kurdistan, the New PKK, Kurdistan Labor Party, Kurdish Freedom Falcons, TAK, Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress, Kurdish Liberation Hawks and KHK.

Mr President, the PKK was originally listed in 2006.  On 18 September 2007, the Attorney-General advised the Committee that he had decided to relist the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) as a terrorist organisation for the purposes of section 102.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.  Following the election the regulation was tabled in the House of Representatives on 12 February 2008 and in the Senate on 12 February 2008.

The original disallowance period of 15 sitting days for the Committee’s review of the listing began from the date of the tabling.  Therefore, the Committee was required to report to the Parliament by 20 March 2008.

The Committee in the 42nd Parliament first met on 13 March 2008 and, Senators will understand, it was therefore not possible to meet this deadline.

Notice of the inquiry was placed on the Committee’s website.  Three submissions were received from the public.  The Committee wrote to all Premiers and Chief Ministers inviting submissions.  No submissions were received from the States or Territories objecting to the re-listing.  Representatives of the Attorney-General’s Department, ASIO and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade attended a private hearing on the listings.

The Committee heard from ASIO that the PKK maintains its capacity to undertake significant terrorist attacks.  The PKK continues to commit attacks against civilians and tourists in Turkey despite periodic ceasefires.  These attacks are committed with the intention of advancing the rights of Kurds living in Turkey and are committed to coerce the Government of Turkey and terrorise sections of the public.  There is no reason to believe the PKK has relinquished this capability.

In view of this the Committee will not recommend to the Parliament that the regulation be disallowed.

Mr President, I commend the report to the House.

Question agreed to.