Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. Can the minister update the Senate on the progress of the campaign to defeat Daesh in Iraq and Syria?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McKenzie very much for her question. After what has been an extended period of extremist and terrorist activity in Iraq, in the past few months the Iraqi security forces have won a number of decisive victories and have now liberated more than 90 per cent of the territory that was once held by Daesh. Indeed, following the liberation of Mosul in July, the momentum against Daesh has continued to increase. Just at the end of August, the Iraqi security forces, with the support of the membership of the international coalition, liberated the strategic city of Tal Afar, which is west of Mosul. But the liberation of Mosul and Tal Afar doesn't mean that Daesh is defeated. They still retain other strongholds that need to be liberated. These include the town of Hawija and towns in the Euphrates river valley near the border with Syria.

In Syria itself, more than 60 per cent of Raqqa, their self-proclaimed capital, has been liberated by Syrian Democratic Forces. However, Daesh continue to use what are barbaric and illegal tactics to slow their inevitable defeat. As we saw in Mosul, they are again preventing civilians from leaving and they are using them as human shields. Recently in Raqqa, they used a children's hospital as a fortified headquarters.

The stabilisation efforts in Mosul and in Tel Afar are ongoing and they will take some time. The re-establishment of both institutions and essential services are critical to ensure that residents are able to begin to rebuild their lives. This has been a particular focus of the counter-ISIL defence ministers' meetings that have occurred in relation to progress. Australia's commitment to the coalition continues and we will continue to support Iraq and its security forces so that they can defeat Daesh, keep their people safe, defend themselves from hostile foreign interference and maintain territorial sovereignty. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, a supplementary question.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise the Senate how the Australian Defence Force is contributing to the campaign against Daesh?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to particularly acknowledge the men and women of the ADF who continue to make a very significant contribution to the international counter-Daesh coalition in support of the Iraqi security forces.

Government senators: Hear, hear!

Over 26,500 Iraqi army trainees have graduated from our Building Partner Capacity mission at Task Group Taji, and that also includes 4,000 police trainees following the change to our activity there. Following from the Iraqi security forces liberation of Mosul and Tal Afar, our Special Operations Task Group continues to work to support the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service. Our Air Task Group is providing support to the coalition air campaign. Currently, our F/A18 Hornets continue to provide precision air strikes against deliberate terrorist targets. Our KC-30A tankers have offloaded more than 39 million kilograms of fuel to coalition aircraft as part of the in-flight refuelling program and our E7A Wedgetail continues to provide what is critical battle space management in both Northern Iraq and Syria.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, a final supplementary question.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise the Senate why it's important that Australia contributes to the international coalition to defeat Daesh at its source.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is vital for global security and stability that we defeat Daesh in Iraq and Syria to deny it a base of operations and a narrative of its success. This narrative has been used as a key social media recruitment tool to attract foreign fighters from around the world—and we know that that has included Australia. It has also used that narrative to radicalise vulnerable youth in many countries to act with appalling violence against their fellow citizens, and we have seen that most recently in Spain, Finland and the United Kingdom as a number of examples.

We know that fleeing Daesh fighters will seek refuge and a new base of operations somewhere around the world, and our region is vulnerable to that exploitation. Recognising this threat and the challenges that we face, the member nations of the Five Power Defence Arrangements have, for example, agreed to strengthen their focus on counterterrorism as a recognition of the regional challenge. That's why Australia continues to make a substantial air and land— (Time expired)