Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Clark for his question and for his consistent advocacy on national security issues. Of course, he had a career in the intelligence community. Decisions about war and the deployment of Australian forces are among the most serious that any government can make, and I have made clear my own view that parliamentarians should be given the chance to express their views following a cabinet decision to go to war. We have referred the issue to an inquiry now being conducted by the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. As the member for Clark said, there are different forms of determination in different parliaments around the world.

There were two days of parliamentary debate that Bob Hawke allowed after his cabinet decided to join the first Gulf War, but the member for Clark is right to say that, 20 years on from the Iraq War, we can all reflect on the many tragedies of that conflict and its ongoing effects. Our thoughts are with the people of Iraq, as well as the Iraqi community here in Australia, some of whom fled that conflict. Our thoughts are also with the men and women of the Australian Defence Force. They obey, appropriately, the instructions of the government of the day, and I note that Labor opposed that intervention. Simon Crean, I think courageously, went and farewelled the troops, to make it very clear that he opposed the government's decision, but he supported them, as we must always do in this parliament.

I want to conclude by saying that I acknowledge the brave contribution and sacrifices that were made by the ADF and civilian personnel who conducted or supported operations in Iraq. We do remember, as well, those Australian service personnel who died and their families, and we all share our deepest sympathies with their families who would still be feeling their loss.

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