Anthony Byrne (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I've sat on this committee, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, now for some number of years. I recall and note that the Hezbollah's External Security Organisation wing was originally prescribed in 2003. There have since been six relistings which have required, under the statue, our committee to examine the listing and to make recommendations. I've sat as a member of the committee on five of the considerations of those relistings—for some period of time. I recall when we first looked at this in 2005, and subsequently that this distinction between the external security organisation and Hezbollah more generally seemed to be very artificial. My concern certainly wasn't ameliorated over the considerations of each relisting. I think it's very important, particularly in the Five Eyes, to note that we were the only Five Eyes partner that didn't list the military wing or Hezbollah in its entirety in terms of a terrorist organisation, and I don't think that occurring benefited Australia or Australia's national interest. I also wanted to raise a concern about the fact that in 2018 when the bipartisan committee came to a conclusion and recommended to the government that in the prescription process that it would contemplate listing the military wing we didn't get a response to that—the 2018 report—and that's concerning.

The government relies on this committee a very great deal. When I speak to interlocutors on sister committees in the United Kingdom, the United States and elsewhere they talk about the great work that this committee has done. For example, when we passed the foreign interference laws, those laws were passed only due to the very diligent work of the committee. The other organisations in jurisdictions like the United Kingdom looked at what we've done, our work, very closely.

So my point to the government is, particularly when we are recommending something of this substance and this weight, that the government gives appropriate consideration to this recommendation and reports back to the committee. I think that's very important. The other thing to stipulate here is that for those who might feel that they've been singled out, particularly in the Lebanese Shia population, that is not the case. For the committee itself—and I speak for the committee—there were many, many, many hours of deliberation. We stand here and we present the report. As the member for Isaacs and the shadow Attorney-General who is sitting here listening to my contribution would acknowledge, many hours of consideration are given to listings of this nature. Consideration is absolutely given to those who might be impacted by these recommendations. These recommendations made by the committee are never made lightly and they take every factor into concern, every factor into consideration, as we've done when we've listed the PKK. I wanted to give that reassurance, that this is something that the committee has given great consideration to, has not done lightly, but inevitably have come to a conclusion that that fig leaf of an external security organisation not being inextricably linked to Hezbollah is just a fiction. It can't be maintained. I also say, particularly, that Sajid Javid—as the member for Berowra pointed out—mentioned in a tweet today:

This report is right—the 'political wing' of Hizballah is a false distinction, as is recognised by UK, US, Canada, Germany and others—

including the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council. I think Javid also has an important point here:

Australia are great allies on counterterrorism so I'm sure the Morrison government will consider this carefully.

In closing, I would urge the government to consider this recommendation carefully. Our fight against those who would cause us harm is enduring, but we fight collectively along with our Five Eyes partners. I think, in terms of this recommendation, that it syncs us in with the rest of the Five Eyes community. And, in our struggle as countries and democracies that have shared values and principles, this is another tool which, as I said, syncs us in with that global fight against terrorism and the damage that those who propagate terrorism seek to do to democracies. This recommendation is in the national interest.

I commend the members of our committee. It is not an easy thing to come to a conclusion, in a lot of circumstances, on a unanimous, bipartisan report, and the recommendation that has been made in this case is not an easy recommendation. I pay tribute to the chair, Senator James Paterson, and also to my friend and colleague the member for Isaacs and shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus. His tireless work for us on this committee adds to our committee; it makes the committee a better committee. I certainly thank him for his excellent work on this particular recommendation. I commend this report to the House.

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