Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question without notice is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Prime Minister Abbott has said that Australia will have no military involvement in Syria, that now President Obama is calling for attacks on ISIL 'wherever they operate'. Does the Australian government support the US bombing and military operation in Syria? Will he rule out Australia ever engaging in bombing and military operations against ISIL in Syria?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have been asked to rule out something 'ever' happening. That, of course, is always a particularly difficult ask, especially when we are engaged, as we are with ISIL and the international conflict we are seeing unfold before our eyes, with an organisation that is about as barbaric as it can get. I understand that the President of the United States has made certain statements. Whether that would involve what the honourable senator refers to I do not know. I am happy to seek advice from the Prime Minister's office whether any further information needs to be provided in relation to the senator's question. Can I simply express my disappointment that the Australian Greens continually ask questions in this place about what the freedom-loving democracies of this world are doing in the fight against ISIL. There have been no questions about how we can assist the 1.8 million displaced Iraqis, no question on support. Even as the Leader of the Opposition has quite rightly expressed bipartisan support, for the Australian Greens it would just be a step too far to recognise the absolute barbarity of ISIL, that it needs to be condemned and needs to be stopped in its tracks, and the fact that now 40 nations have come together in a mix of Middle Eastern nations, European nations, the United States— (Time expired)

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Given reports that covert intelligence cooperation between the United States and the Assad regime is occurring at the same time as the United States is arming the Free Syrian Army, does not Prime Minister support USA cooperation, directly or indirectly, with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and will Australia rule out cooperation of any kind, direct or indirect, with President Assad?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I am not going to get into the detail of the matters raised in Senator Milne's question. There are a lot of sensitivities around the matters raised. Secondly, in this world often very difficult choices need to be made, and I am reminded of the Second World War where the freedom-loving nations of the world sided with the Communist regimes to get rid of the national socialism regime of Germany and it spread across Europe.

I think the Prime Minister described it in Syria as, if I recall, 'baddies against baddies' and it is a bit hard to make a judgement call. Here we have the Green senators willing to shake their heads. They undoubtedly support— (Time expired)

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question: given the Prime Minister's decision to deploy fighter aircraft and SAS troops to Iraq, will the Prime Minister now admit that, contrary to original protestations, there are boots on the ground, that our involvement is military and that Australia has been committed to an open-ended war?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No.