Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to table a petition that was presented to me by Marie Bromley, a representative of the Southside Peace Group in my electorate. This week, 20 March, tomorrow, marks the fifth anniversary of the United States invasion of Iraq—five years on and still the bloodshed continues. This petition is signed by more than 1,000 concerned local residents who oppose the Iraq war. The strong support for the petition highlights the depth of local residents’ opposition to the war—this unjust war. This heartfelt community concern was also reflected in November last year, when voters signalled their support for the Rudd government’s commitment to withdraw our troops from Iraq by the middle of this year.

The signatories to this petition were opposed to the Howard government’s part in the ill-conceived invasion of Iraq—and with good reason. The Iraq war has been a human and security catastrophe. According to the most conservative estimates, at least 75,000 people are dead—which, basically, represents taking out the city of Toowoomba in one go. It is horrific to think of that many people having been killed due to this war. About two million people have been driven out of Iraq and are now wandering the world looking for support; one million people have been internally displaced; families continue to be persecuted and brutalised on a daily basis; oil production has been slashed; Iran has been emboldened; and international terrorism has been made even worse. Of course, all members can recall the main reason John Howard sent Australian troops to Iraq—to eliminate non-existent weapons of mass destruction. The Iraq war has cost us more than $2 billion and has distracted Australia from fighting terrorists in Afghanistan and from addressing pressing national security challenges in our region.

The petition calls on members of this House to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq, ensure financial and rebuilding support is provided to Iraq, restore Iraqi resources to Iraqi hands and ensure Iraqi refugees are welcomed to Australia. I commend the Southside Peace Group for their activism on this matter. I know they spent many weekends at markets and throughout the Moreton and Southside areas collecting the names for the petitions. It is amazing to see the range of addresses and backgrounds of the people who put their name to the petition.

The Southside Peace Group were conceived in 2006 and their aim was to oppose the war and educate residents on Brisbane’s Southside about the realities of the war in Iraq. They meet regularly at the local bowls club to plan events to get their message out. I particularly like how they describe themselves on their group website. It reads:

We’re a group of individuals who want to help pressure our government to bring the troops home from Iraq and contribute to Iraqi reconstruction of their country, devastated by the unlawful US occupation ... Like most people we have family and work responsibilities and we have limited time so we want to use it well to help build peace.

That is from their webpage. I am proud to have an organisation like this in my electorate. They made sure that they then turned their attentions to the Rudd government after we were elected. They are a non-political group and they made sure I knew that they did not have political affiliations but were keen to have the troops come home. They have done a tremendous job advocating for what they believe in.

I am also pleased that, in close consultation with our allies, the United States and the United Kingdom, we are now working to have troops withdrawn by the middle of this year in line with our election commitments. I have seen throughout the short life of this parliament that Kevin Rudd, as leader, is committed to making sure that every election commitment is carried out—none of this core and non-core rubbish. The Rudd Labor government will also provide ongoing diplomatic, economic and security assistance to help Iraq in the rebuilding process, reaching out a hand where it is needed. I am therefore pleased to present this petition.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The document will be forwarded to the Standing Committee on Petitions for its consideration. It will be accepted subject to confirmation by the committee that it conforms to the standing orders.

The petition read as follows—

To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives assembled in Parliament.

We, the undersigned, are appalled at Australia’s continued involvement in the unlawful US invasion and occupation of Iraq. As a result of the invasion:

• By October 2006 more than 655,000 people had been killed and countless others had been seriously maimed and injured (John Hopkins University School or Public Health study, published in the Lancet journal, October 2006) and since that time the slaughter has continued on a daily basis;

• Civilians live in constant danger;

• The health system has been devastated and people die daily from treatable illnesses and injuries;

• 33 per cent of children suffer from malnutrition;

• Rape, trafficking and kidnapping of women has risen and women activists have been assassinated, while other women who refuse to comply with newly restrictive dress and movement have been bashed;

• Iraq has gone from being a food exporter to a nation where people suffer from starvation and hunger; and

• More than 2 million Iraqis have fled their country and almost another 2 million have fled their homes and remain in Iraq.

We call on all Members of the House to:

• Withdraw Australian troops from Iraq immediately;

• Ensure financial and rebuilding support is provided to Iraq;

• Restore Iraqi resources to Iraqi hands; and

Ensure Iraqi refugees are welcomed to Australia.