Dave Sharma (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Wong. Minister, many Australians now stranded in the Middle East have reportedly been unable to contact consular staff, with emergency lines unanswered and hotlines overwhelmed, yet your government has spent months coordinating the return of ISIS sympathisers, issuing them dozens of passports. Why can the Albanese government pave the way for the return of terrorist sympathisers but not ensure law-abiding Australians stranded overseas can get help when they need it?

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

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

Order on my right! Before I call the minister, I remind those on my right that I need to be able to hear the question. Senator Sharma should be able to ask his question in silence. Minister Wong.

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

This is one of the few times I will take an interjection from Senator Shoebridge—that's the great moderate hopeful channelling Peter Dutton now. Senator Sharma, you know, because you are smart enough, that your question is incorrect—that what you are asserting there is untrue. But I will leave aside the political untruth in relation to the Syrian cohort. What I will go to, which I hope matters, is what we are doing for Australians in the Middle East. As I have been very clear with the Senate and the public about, yes, the numbers are larger than any consular crisis that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including when you were working there, have ever dealt with. We have 115,000 Australians in the Middle East, and 11,000 Australians transit through Qatar and the United Arab Emirates every day. It is a major hub for Australians to go, from other parts of the world, to and from Australia. Staff in consulates, in embassies and at the crisis centre are working around the clock and we will do everything we can. What I have said is that, obviously, we're looking at whatever arrangements we can make, bearing in mind that, given the numbers, the best way of ensuring people can get home safe and quickly is for flights to resume. But, as I have also been upfront in saying, currently the situation in the Middle East is risky and unpredictable. Nine countries were hit in one day, and we know we have seen the hubs hit. That is the reality of the situation that the government is dealing with. I feel for Australians overseas— (Time expired)

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

Senator Sharma, first supplementary?

Dave Sharma (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. I do point out that in the hours after the Boxing Day 2004 tsunami there were some 15,000 Australians unaccounted for, so I appreciate this is a significant consular crisis, but we have dealt with ones of a similar magnitude before. Last week, Minister, DFAT ordered the departure of dependants from Israel and facilitated the departures of dependants from Jordan, Qatar and the UAE. If the government knew the situation was deteriorating to the point of withdrawing its own personnel, why did you not publicly front up and warn the Australian public at that time?

Honourable Senator:

An honourable senator interjecting

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

I'll wait for silence. Minister Wong.

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

Senator, you know that the government has a policy around no double standards, which is why that travel advice was published on its travel advice channel, Smartraveller, and my office made media aware on 25 February, and you would know that from your vast experience. I would also say that I can take you through the iteration of travel advice, which, as you would know, is done on advice and after consideration, that has been put out. The travel advice that we have been giving has been in line with like-mindeds. We have issued a number of warnings, including on 15 January and 30 January. The time remaining doesn't let me—

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why didn't you stand up as minister?

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

Order! Senator McKenzie, I don't believe this is your question and I'd ask you to be quiet. Senator Sharma, second supplementary?

Dave Sharma (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question was: why did the minister not stand up last week and reiterate that travel advice from her department, because, clearly, given the significant US military build-up in the region, given we were ordering the departures of dependants and facilitating the departures of others, we saw this crisis coming? Wouldn't acting earlier have allowed us to mitigate the impact on Australians abroad and doesn't this represent a failure of preparedness and communication that has left Australians stranded with limited options?

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

It is always so disappointing that, when there is a crisis for this country, the first thing the opposition do is try to make politics out of it. They always go to politics about it. That is what they always do.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. I have worked very hard to make sure that Senator Sharma was respected and that his question was heard in silence. That same respect applies to Minister Wong's answer. Please continue, Minister Wong.

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

I want to make some comments.

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order. Senator Watt, I've just finished saying to the Senate that Senator Wong needs to be heard in silence, yet the interjections started again. Minister Wong.

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

This year, before the conflict began on 28 February, we issued a total of 41 travel advice updates for the Middle East, including to warn that conflict could result in airspace closures, flight cancellation and other disruptions. We posted 26 times across X, Facebook and Instagram, including, on 15 January:

Regional tensions in the Middle East are high and the security situation could deteriorate rapidly and without notice.

This may result in airspace closures, flight cancellations and other travel disruptions.

On 30 January, we also provided information that there was a risk of further escalation and that closure of airspace around transit hubs in the Middle East may impact flights globally. (Time expired)