Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask general that general business notice of motion No. 408, which relates to Russian uranium exports, be taken as a formal motion.

Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there any objection to this motion being taken as formal?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is an objection.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

In relation to the motion for which formality was denied, I want to make clear that the Australian government is deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation in eastern Ukraine brought about by Russia's sustained and deliberate violation of Ukrainian sovereignty. In announcing increased sanctions against Russia to the level of the United States, the European Union and Canada, the government has shown that it is prepared to act in defence of freedom, international law and the Ukrainian people's democratic right to decide their own future free from intimidation.

The government believes that complex foreign policy issues, however, should not be addressed through simple motions such as Senator Ludlam's. The Greens have consistently shown themselves to be unable to deal with important foreign policy matters such as the provision of humanitarian assistance and military equipment to the Kurdish regional government in Iraq.

I can advise the Senate that Australia is not currently exploring uranium to Russia and the government will not approve any new contracts for the export of uranium to Russia while the Russian government continues to violate Ukraine's territorial sovereignty. (Time expired)

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a brief statement in response.

Leave granted.

I fail to understand why the Labor Party and the Liberal-National coalition have come up with this gentleman's agreement to not debate issues that they might find inconvenient. I think that is precisely what this chamber is for. Why you have singled out motions like this as things you would not want to talk about I find, frankly, baffling. Nonetheless, I want to acknowledge that the Australian government has set a policy position that they will not allow uranium shipments to the Russian federation. We do not know what the criteria are. I do not know whether Senator Fifield can explain whether uranium has gone on the formal sanctions list. This underlines the danger of having entered into these agreements in the first place. Uranium is not like other minerals. Supplying uranium to a nuclear weapon state, with President Putin now effectively implying the threat to use these weapons, underlies precisely why we should never have entered into these agreements in the first place.