Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister Wong. Israel continues to starve Gaza by blocking food, water and humanitarian aid. Fewer than a hundred aid trucks have been entering daily since the so-called ceasefire, far short of the 600 required by the supposed peace plan. The International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to allow unimpeded access, yet this has been ignored. In order to try and break Israel's illegal blockade, brave Australian humanitarians were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla to deliver life-saving food, medical supplies and baby formula to Gaza. They were illegally abducted by Israel in international waters and imprisoned. Abubakir Rafiq, Juliet Lamont, Hamish Paterson, Bianca Webb-Pullman and Surya McEwan have publicly spoken about the physical and psychological abuse they were subjected to. What have you done to hold Israel to account for its treatment of Australians?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Firstly, in relation to the Gaza flotilla, I would actually say to the senator that people from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade worked very hard to support the Australians who were detained in Israel. We had diplomats travel to Ketziot multiple times, conducting in-person visits and welfare checks. Our officials did as we requested, which was to advocate to the Israeli authorities on behalf of Australians and provide updates to detainee families. Officials also worked with Israeli authorities to ensure the release and deportation of Australians, and they continued to provide consular assistance.

In relation to the flotilla, we do understand that people want to help deliver aid to those suffering in Gaza. We also want to see critical aid delivered. However, the government has warned against attempts to breach the naval blockade because of the risks to the safety of Australians. In relation to the humanitarian crisis, as you would know, Australia has committed more than $130 million in humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and Lebanon since 7 October 2023. I am aware there have been allegations of mistreatment. We have made clear to Israel our expectation that detainees will receive humane treatment in line with international norms. We have raised the welfare and treatment of Australians who are detained with Israel, both in Tel Aviv and in Canberra. Obviously and as you would know—I think you asked me this question in estimates, Senator, where I suspect I gave you the same answer—we are always constrained in relation to specific individuals because of our privacy obligations.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Faruqi, first supplementary?

Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

2024 was the deadliest year on record for aid workers, with Gaza remaining the most dangerous place in the world and Israeli attacks killing hundreds of aid workers. Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom's killers continue to walk free, and not a single person or entity has been sanctioned for her killing. You've signed on to the Declaration of the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, Minister, but words without accountability protect no-one. Minister, do you support comprehensive sanctions against states that attack and kill humanitarian workers?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator, we didn't just sign on to the declaration; we drove it. We drove it. Australia drove a multilateral declaration because we wanted to make sure that we could respond to the fact that 2024 was the deadliest year for humanitarian workers the world has seen and because we were also committed to the memory of Zomi Frankcom, who was killed in an IDF strike. And I made clear to her family and to the Australian people that we would not only ensure that we had Mr Binskin, a former CDF, engage with the IDF and provide a report to us, which I announce, but also make sure we do what we can to ensure that this doesn't happen to another aid worker. We drove a multilateral declaration, and you may dismiss it, Senator, but 104 countries signed on the first day. That is diplomacy.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Faruqi, second supplementary?

Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, your answers make it clear that your Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personal amounts to nothing—nothing more than empty words from a government pretending to uphold human rights while doing nothing to hold the abusers to account. Minister, when will you stop pretending to care about human rights and actually hold Israel accountable instead of issuing press releases as people starve and die?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, are you rising on a point of order?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You may be addressing this, President, but I was going to point there was an imputation there, and it should be withdrawn.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There was an imputation there, Senator Faruqi, and I'm going to ask you to withdraw and to reframe the question.

Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, when will your government stop pretending to care about human rights and actually hold Israel accountable instead of issuing press releases while people starve and die?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Faruqi, I did ask you to withdraw. You withdrew, and then you continued with the framing of the question which offended the Senate. I'm asking you to reframe the question without causing offence. Thank you.

Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will withdraw, but it seems like everything that comes out of my mouth seems to offend this Senate, but I—

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order across the chamber! No, Senator Whish-Wilson, I will come to you. Senator Faruqi, when I ask senators to withdraw, I expect them to simply withdraw, not to add any other comment. You are no different to any other senator in this place. I will now go to Senator Whish-Wilson.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just a clarification of a point of order. You used the frame 'offend the Senate'. Are you saying that what Senator Faruqi said was unparliamentary? Can you explain—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson, you are on a debating point with me.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I'm asking for a very important clarification.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Whish-Wilson. I think I was fairly clear that the—

An honourable senator interjecting—

Order! You are not arguing with me. I will remind all senators in this place of the motion we passed yesterday which talked about respect for one another. If there's an imputation—there was, and Senator Faruqi withdrew, and I gave her the privilege of repeating the question—I don't expect it to continue along a similar vein.

An honourable senator interjecting—

You are not in a debate with me. If you wish to make a comment later in the day, avail yourself of your free time. Right now you are not in a debate. No, Senator Whish-Wilson, I'm not entertaining any more points of order; please resume your seat. I remind you, if you need to, to reread the motion this Senate passed yesterday about respect. Senator Faruqi, I ask you to simply ask the question of the government.

Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, this is a complete farce. I'm not reframing my question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Fine. Thank you, Senator Faruqi. That is your point of view. You are free to hold that. I will ask the minister to answer the question.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Here we are with the Australian Greens political party essentially reflecting Scott Morrison's policy that they don't like multilateralism. We are proud multilateralists because we understand that working with other countries—

Excuse me, I'm on my feet. Working with other countries is one of the ways in which we can support international humanitarian law, protect human rights and protect the system that protects us. While we are doing multilateralism, what are the Greens doing? They are using this crisis to seek donations. I was surprised to read that on 7 October, on the second anniversary of the attacks, they sent out an email calling for donations—not for charity but for the Greens political party.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order, President. Talk about imputations! Senator Wong just made a very direct imputation about the Greens. What is different with that one about the Australian Greens versus the imputation that Senator Faruqi made? Could you pull her up on that, please, and ask her to withdraw?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson, resume your seat. I will take advice on that. I don't think it was an imputation. I am advised it was a statement of a political party taking an action. I will listen. I remind you all—

Order, Senator Shoebridge! You are being very disrespectful.

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're being biased.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Shoebridge, withdraw that comment.

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. I'm now going to move on. Three times I've reminded the Senate of the motion that was passed in here yesterday about the need for respect, and all I'm hearing now is a lot of disrespect.