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

My question is to Minister Wong. Minister, Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six of her colleagues were hunted and murdered by the Israeli army. For over two years, your government has insisted on allowing the Israeli government to investigate itself. Now—no surprises—the war criminals have ruled that they have no case to answer. You were warned repeatedly that relying on murderers to investigate themselves would never deliver justice, yet somehow you believed that words would compel a state engaged in genocide—a state that has killed 20,000 children, a state that kidnapped and assaulted Australian citizens aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla. Minister, does your government accept any responsibility for not getting justice for Zomi? How much more humiliation will you put this country through before you take action?

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

I have made clear that this outcome, and the circumstances in which it was announced, is outrageous and insulting. Importantly, and a lot of Senator Faruqi's points are to me, I say it was outrageous and insulting to Mal Frankcom, Zomi's brother, and the whole of the Frankcom family, and also to Australians.

There is a lot of anger in the Australian community about this, and I share that. I've made clear publicly today, and privately to the Israeli ambassador, our views about the announcement that was made, which is that the IDF or Israeli government investigation will not occur. There will be no investigation into the criminal liability associated with the deaths of not just an Australian citizen but, in fact, in total, seven humanitarian workers who were killed in a strike. They were struck by the IDF not once, not twice, but three times.

Australians deserve answers and, most importantly, Mal Frankcom and the Frankcom family deserve answers. I will continue to engage with the family, as I did yesterday. We announced an award in Zomi Frankcom's honour on World Humanitarian Day to honour her work on the day where we dedicate ourselves to honouring humanitarian workers. We commend not only those who have lost their lives but all those who do the best of humanity, which is to deliver aid to those who need it. (Time expired)

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

Senator Faruqi, first supplementary?

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

Minister, the Israeli ambassador has the audacity to say that any loss of innocent life is a tragedy. According to the UN figures released yesterday, 186 aid workers were killed in Gaza last year. The ambassador has attempted to gaslight World Central Kitchen. Do you accept the ambassador's account that Zomi and her colleagues were somehow responsible for their own deaths, or do you believe that the ambassador is lying?

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

No, I do not accept any assertion that sheets home responsibility for the deaths of seven aid workers, including an Australian citizen, on whose behalf I will continue to advocate in the circumstances that I have outlined. In relation to the Israeli ambassador, he does not speak for Australia; he speaks for the government of Israel.

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

Senator Faruqi, second supplementary?

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

Minister, in 2010, the Labor government of the time expelled an Israeli embassy official over the misuse of Australian passports. Sixteen years later, the Israeli army has killed an Australian aid worker and failed to hold anyone to account, and yet there have been no consequences from your government. Minister, are you outraged enough yet to expel the Israeli ambassador?

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

We maintain diplomatic relations with countries not as an endorsement of others. In a fair-minded assessment of what has happened over these last years, you would see that we have very different views to the government of Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Prime Minister Netanyahu has made that clear. We maintain diplomatic relations to advance Australia's interests and to be able to put our view directly to other countries, as I did today with the ambassador when he was called in.