Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware of a bill to assist the more than 300 Australian victims of overseas terrorism on which the members for Paterson and Newcastle will be speaking tonight? Does the Prime Minister think that it is especially important to acknowledge the civilian casualties of the bipartisan campaign against international terrorism? Will the Prime Minister undertake to make time available for this bill or another bill which achieves a similar result to be debated and voted upon? I ask this question not just for me but also on behalf of Paul Anicich and Tony Purkiss, two survivors of the 2005 Bali bombing, who are in the gallery today and who will be paying close attention to the Prime Minister’s answer.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. I think, like all members of the House, we share deep concerns, as government and as opposition, for those who have become the civilian victims of terrorist attacks anywhere in the world. In the case of Australians, we are, regrettably in this chamber, all too familiar with the impact that has had on Australian lives. All of us who were in this chamber at the time remember the extraordinary impact of the Bali bombing and of course what happened subsequent to that with further terrorist attacks. And Australians have been involved in and affected by other terrorist attacks around the world.

On the question of the legislation which the honourable member refers to, I presume it is a private member’s bill. I am not familiar with the contents of his bill. I assume it has been advanced into the chamber in good spirit and good heart. Therefore, in deference to the honourable member’s motivation, we will subject it to examination. Consistent with the objects concerning the bill, as described by the honourable member in putting forward his private member’s bill, let us examine it and see what practical things can be done to assist Australians in these circumstances. As I think all of us would know here, it being now some years since the Bali bombing where we had 80 or 90 Australians who were directly affected in lives being lost, there were many others who were injured by that as well. Then there are the rolling consequences which extend years and years into the future. In the spirit with which the question was asked, we will submit this to examination and in due course come back to the honourable member.