Peter Khalil (Wills, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I acknowledge the member for Berowra for moving this motion on Ukraine. 24 February marks two years since Putin's illegal military operation began. Even though it has been two years of bloody war, all of us here continue to condemn Russia's unilateral, illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine and continue to call on Russia to immediately withdraw its forces from Ukrainian territories. For Ukrainians whose lives have been shattered by this conflict, two years must feel like an eternal lifetime of pain. I think we should all take a moment to acknowledge and commend the unwavering courage of the people of Ukraine in the face of the horrors inflicted upon them. The physical and mental strain faced by the people of Ukraine are acute, yet they remain brave, courageous, resilient and focused on victory.

I want to be clear that, despite the protestations from those opposite, Ukraine has the full support of the Albanese government. We are committed to standing with Ukraine for as long as it takes Ukraine to end the conflict on its own terms. The facts are there. Our contribution to Ukraine's war effort currently sits at around $960 million, including $780 million in assistance for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On this second anniversary of Russia's brutal full-scale invasion, the Albanese government has announced that it will provide an additional $50 million grant to the International Fund for Ukraine, directly supporting the procurement of priority military capabilities. That contribution will be used to procure priority military equipment for Ukraine. This is in addition to the military support that has already been provided—I remind those opposite—including: 120 Bushmasters; 56 M113 armoured vehicles; 650 M777 howitzers; 105- and 155-millimetre ammunition; anti-armour weapons and ammunition; body armour and winter clothing; Australian defence industry packages; and financial contributions to NATO and the UK to purchase and deliver military assistance to Ukraine on Australia's behalf.

The ADF continues to remain actively engaged in multinational efforts under Operation Kudu, and our defence personnel continue to provide essential training to Ukrainian soldiers, bolstering their capabilities and resilience in the face of aggression. We've got our E-7A Wedgetail aircraft deployed in Germany to enhance security and facilitate vital military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. On that humanitarian assistance, we have provided $75 million in emergency humanitarian assistance to meet the urgent needs of the Ukrainian people, in addition to 80,000 tonnes of coal, and the government is actively considering the request for further energy assistance that's been made.

I need to address some of the misinformation that has been peddled about the fleet of MRH-90 Taipans. The decision to retire the MRH-90s was decided last year following a tragic crash which claimed the lives of four Australian defence personnel. This tragedy necessitated the grounding of the fleet pending ongoing crash investigations. Subsequently, the government initiated a disposal strategy in September—months before a request from Ukraine. This disposal strategy recognised that, even if the aircraft were cleared for flight, their impending replacement by new Black Hawk helicopters rendered them surplus to requirements.

So, contrary to misconceptions, efforts had been made to find buyers for the helicopters, and they were extensive. The decision was made to dismantle the helicopters and sell their spare parts—a fiscally responsible approach, given the lack of alternatives. The request from Ukraine came in three months after the disposal strategy began, three months after these aircraft were grounded and three months after maintenance ceased on these aircraft. They are just facts. They might be inconvenient for you.

It's crucial to emphasise that none of the helicopters are in flying condition, nor have they been cleared for flight pending the crash investigations. It would be irresponsible and unsafe to refurbish and deploy these MRH-90s, and it would also be a substantial expense to both the Australian taxpayer and the Ukrainian military. The opposition know this, so I find it really quite incomprehensible that they are using the horrors in Ukraine, and the pain and suffering of the people there, to try and score some cheap political points with this motion. If they really want to support Ukraine, why don't they give a dressing down to their own senator, who threw insults at the Ukrainian leader on the floor of the Senate? I'm talking about Senator Antic. They know, in this Chamber—and I'll remind them—that the Leader of the Opposition failed to rebuke Senator Antic for his contemptible mockery of the President of Ukraine in the Australian Senate.

Make no mistake: Australia remains steadfast in our commitment to supporting Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, who are defending their people, their territory and their sovereignty. We are with them on that. (Time expired)

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