Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

( by leave—The government is committed to providing regular reports and updates on Afghanistan, including to the parliament. I last updated the House on 10 May on a range of issues relating to Australia's detainee management in Afghanistan in keeping with my commitment to provide regular updates to the Australian people on detainee management and to be open and transparent on these matters. I undertook at that time to update the parliament more generally on Afghanistan following my attendance with the Prime Minister at the NATO/International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Leaders' Summit in Chicago over the weekend. The summit followed on from the recent meeting in Brussels of NATO/ISAF Foreign and Defence Ministers, which I attended together with Foreign Minister Carr.

Chicago s ummit

At the NATO/ISAF Leaders' Summit in Chicago on 20 and 21 May, the Prime Minister and I reaffirmed Australia's long-term commitment to Afghanistan. This was a valuable opportunity for the international community to commit to supporting Afghanistan post-transition, after 2014, so essential to secure Afghanistan's future. Australia's commitments to Afghanistan align with the key outcomes of the Chicago summit. Firstly, at Chicago, the international community reviewed transition and mapped the way forward in Afghanistan to the end of 2014. As President Obama said at the conclusion of the Chicago Summit, 'We leave Chicago with a clear roadmap. Our coalition is committed to this plan to bring our war in Afghanistan to a responsible end.'

In Afghanistan, transition is already in progress, with around half the population living in areas where the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have begun taking lead security responsibility. The third tranche of provinces and districts will formally commence transition in the middle of this year, at which time three-quarters of the population will be living under ANSF security lead. It is expected that the final, and fifth tranche, will begin transition by mid-2013, the so called Lisbon milestone. At this point, with all of Afghanistan's population under Afghan National Security Forces security lead, ISAF's role will shift from combat to support. Oruzgan province will formally commence transition in the middle of this year and will likely have fully transitioned to Afghan National Security Forces responsibility over the subsequent 12 to 18 month period.

Secondly, the international community is committed to continuing to fund, train and support the Afghan National Security Forces post-transition to consolidate and build on the security gains of the transition strategy. As the Prime Minister and I announced on 16 May, Australia will contribute US$100 million annually for three years from 2015 as part of international community efforts to help sustain and support the Afghan National Security Forces beyond the end of the transition process. It is essential that the international community provides the resources for ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of the Afghan National Security Forces beyond 2014.

Australia has already contributed substantially to the development and sustainment of the Afghan National Army (ANA), pledging in 2009 US$200 million over five years to the Afghan National Army Trust Fund. Australia has a vital national interest in supporting Afghanistan's security and stability after transition. Our commitment to ANSF funding reflects these enduring national interests.

Thirdly, at the Chicago summit, the international community committed to supporting Afghanistan's development in the long-term. Australia's longer term commitment will be underscored by the Comprehensive Long-Term Partnership with Afghanistan, signed at the Chicago summit by the Prime Minister and President Karzai. This was foreshadowed by the Prime Minister in her statement to parliament in November 2011. The signing of the partnership confirms Australia's bilateral commitment to Afghanistan and sets out Australia's enduring cooperation and relationship with Afghanistan post-2014. It sends a signal to the people of Afghanistan, the Taliban and the region that the international community will not walk away from Afghanistan at the end of 2014.

Similarly, on 1 May 2012, the United States signed a strategic partnership agreement with Afghanistan, which provides a framework for their long-term bilateral relationship. A number of our international partners, including NATO, the United Kingdom, France, India and Italy have signed similar agreements.

Eighteen months ago at the Lisbon summit, in November 2010, the international community and the Afghan government set down a clear process and timeframe for transition of full security responsibility to the Afghan National Security Forces. Australia's own transition planning is entirely consistent with this strategy.

President Karzai announced on 13 May 2012 the third tranche of provinces and districts to formally enter the transition process. Australia welcomed the inclusion of Oruzgan province in this third tranche. The Afghan National Army 4th Brigade is progressing towards being able to operate independently, and is increasingly assuming the lead for the planning, preparation and execution of tactical operations. The Afghan security presence is expanding across Oruzgan province. We fully expect to be in a position to hand over security in Oruzgan province to the Afghan National Security Forces over the 12- to 18-month period that I have referred to.

We must, however, continue to be present in support of the Afghan National Security Forces in Oruzgan, and be combat ready to do so until transition is complete. This means that, as transition progresses, the Afghan National Security Forces will take on more and more responsibility for security. But ISAF partners must remain ready to support them, as required.

After the completion of transition, our commitment in Afghanistan will look significantly different from the commitment we have today. Australia's commitment to Afghanistan will not end with the transfer of security responsibility to the Afghan National Security Forces in Oruzgan province. Australia has made clear that we expect to maintain a presence in Afghanistan beyond 2014 through training, military advisers, capacity building and development assistance.

Civilian c asualties

Let me deal with a range of other matters relating to Afghanistan. The government is committed to transparency and providing information on civilian casualties in Afghanistan to the parliament and the Australian people. The Australian Defence Force takes the issue of civilian casualties very seriously. The Australian Defence Force operates under strict rules of engagement intended to minimise civilian casualties, and deeply regrets any loss of innocent life.

Today I update the parliament on the status of inquiries into the following civilian casualty incidents:

On 2 November 2010, following an engagement between an Afghan National Security Forces and Mentoring Taskforce 4 partnered patrol and insurgents in the Baluchi Valley region, it was claimed that a civilian had been killed by small arms fire.

On 27 March 2011, a small Afghan boy was seriously wounded, and an Afghan man was killed, during an engagement between insurgents and a partnered Afghan National Police Provincial Response Company-Oruzgan and Special Operations Task Group patrol. Sadly, the young boy, after receiving medical care, died from his wounds.

On 29 October 2011, Australian soldiers engaged and killed a man who approached their site at speed and failed to adhere to all directions to stop. Unfortunately, the Afghan male was unable to be saved.

An inquiry was conducted into each of these incidents. The inquiries are under consideration and I will advise on the outcomes of this consideration in due course.

On 1 May this year, an Afghan boy was injured during an engagement between insurgents and Australian Special Forces and elements of the Afghan National Security Forces undertaking a partnered security operation. The boy is receiving medical treatment and is expected to recover. As the Department of Defence advised on 9 May, an inquiry is underway on this matter. When completed, the inquiry will be considered and I will advise of the outcome in due course.

Combat f atality r eports

I now turn to an update on Inquiry Officer Reports into deaths of ADF soldiers in Afghanistan. All Inquiry Officer Reports into combat deaths which occurred in 2010 have been completed, the respective families have been briefed on the outcomes of the inquiries and the outcomes of the inquiries have been made public, or not, as appropriate.

In 2011 there were nine incidents resulting in the combat deaths of 11 soldiers. Family members have been briefed in relation to five of the nine incidents. Briefing the family members in relation to three of the nine incidents will be progressed as soon as possible. Once the Inquiry Officer Reports have been considered by the families, the reports will then be presented to me for consideration for public release. I regard the wishes of the family so far as public release is concerned as a relevant material factor to consider in publication of the report beyond the family itself and others directly affected.

In relation to the ninth incident involving the 30 May 2011 crash of the Australian CH-47D Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan, on 4 April the Chief of the Defence Force advised that he had appointed a commission of inquiry into the incident in which Lieutenant Marcus Case was tragically killed.

Detainee m anagement u pdate

I turn now to detainee management issues. Since my statement to the House on 10 May 2012 on detainee management in Afghanistan, I can provide updates on a number of issues.

CCTV failures

I have previously reported to the House on the temporary loss of CCTV footage at the Australian Defence Force Initial Screening Area (ISA) in Tarin Kowt. As noted in my report to the House on 9 February 2012, I asked the Department of Defence to investigate whether any of these failures in the CCTV footage coincided with allegations of detainee mistreatment. I can now report to the House that Defence's review of detainee files has revealed that no additional allegations of detainee mistreatment were identified during the time of the CCTV outage.

Interrogation

As previously reported, the government has agreed to extend the time selected detainees could be held in Australian custody at the Initial Screening Area, prior to their release or transfer, for the purpose of comprehensive screening. Comprehensive screening enables the Australian Defence Force to determine whether a detainee has knowledge which could assist in the force protection of the ADF, ISAF and Afghan partners. The length of time for which detainees can be held in the Initial Screening Area may be extended beyond the current 96 hours (four days) for an additional three days, and a possible further extension of three days.

As at 21 May 2012, approximately 20 per cent of detainees apprehended by the ADF while on operations in Afghanistan have undergone interrogation within the Initial Screening Area since interrogation operations commenced in February of this year. Of these, around 25 per cent of detainees interrogated by the ADF have been released within the initial 96-hour period as there was insufficient evidence to support their continued detention. The remaining 75 per cent of detainees interrogated by the ADF were held in Australian custody within the Initial Screening Area beyond the initial 96-hour period on an initial three-day comprehensive screening extension. Approximately 40 per cent of these detainees remained in Australian custody on a subsequent additional three-day comprehensive screening extension.

Capture/recapture

Between 1 August 2010—when Australia took responsibility for detainee management from the Dutch—and 21 May this year, the ADF captured 12 people who were subsequently released then recaptured. Six of the individuals in question were released as there was insufficient evidence to warrant their continued detention. Of the remaining six detainees, there was sufficient evidence to warrant their transfer and prosecution. Three were subsequently transferred to United States custody at the Detention Facility in Parwan, and three were transferred to Afghan custody at the NDS, National Directorate of Security detention facility in Oruzgan.

Australian Defence Force Investigative Service (ADFIS)

In January this year, I was advised that the Inspector General of the Australian Defence Force had commenced an inquiry into allegations of flawed Australian Defence Force Investigative Service, or ADFIS, processes in the Middle East Area of Operations. Last week, I was advised that a number of further matters had been raised in the context of these allegations. In addition, concerns had also been raised in relation to the conduct of Inspector General of the Australian Defence Force inquiries in the Middle East Area of Operation. These matters are now the subject of separate inquiries by the Inspector General of the Australian Defence Force. I will advise on the outcomes as appropriate in due course.

Australia's wounded

In Afghanistan, our military and civilian personnel carry out their work in a difficult, arduous and challenging security environment, at substantial personal risk. Since the beginning of this year, 10 soldiers have been wounded in battle. Eight of these injuries were sustained in improvised explosive device attacks and two were wounded during contact with the enemy. The government and the parliament acknowledge the sacrifice of Australian Defence Force members in fulfilling Australia's commitment to Afghanistan. We also acknowledge the sacrifice and the pain of their families.

We have also seen an Australian civilian wounded in Afghanistan for the first time. Mr David Savage, an AusAID worker, was injured in a suicide bomb attack on 26 March this year. The Australian people and the Australian government and the Australian parliament value very much the contribution made by our civilian personnel, such as Mr Savage, working closely alongside their military colleagues in Afghanistan.

Conclusion

Progress towards transition to Afghan-led security responsibility is being made in Oruzgan province and across Afghanistan. This progress towards transition is in line with the Lisbon Strategy and the plans of our International Security Assistance Force and Afghan partners, as confirmed at the Chicago summit. The summit itself was a success: in reviewing transition and mapping the way forward in Afghanistan to the end of 2014; in securing the international community's commitment to continuing to fund, train and support the Afghan National Security Forces post-transition; and in supporting Afghanistan's security and development in the long term.

Notwithstanding this success, Afghanistan continues to be difficult and dangerous—difficult and dangerous for our troops deployed there. As the northern fighting season commences, the thoughts of all members of the House and all Australians will be with our forces in Oruzgan and Afghanistan. I thank the House.

I ask leave of the House to move a motion to enable the honourable member for Fadden to speak for 17 minutes. I also present a paper tabled in conjunction with my ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

I move:

That so much of standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the honourable member for Fadden speaking in reply to my statement for a period not exceeding 17 minutes.

Question agreed to.

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science, Technology and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for his continued commitment to keep the House up to date with the progress of combat operations and the work of international communities within ISAF and the wider body of work, including the reconstruction and aid effort within Afghanistan. The coalition notes the outcomes of the Chicago summit. We note the outcomes that NATO has released. We note the range of comments on the delivery of outcomes including the three points that President Obama has released. We also note that the Oruzgan transition in tranche 3 is looking to commence mid-year with completion over 18 months from July to December next year in transitioning from combat to support. We continue to reiterate that this should always be a metrics based, command judged and led transition. Commanders should be the ones telling us patrol base by patrol base, valley by valley, ridgeline by ridgeline, the pace at which transition should occur.

I refer the minister to what would appear to be confusing statements from the Prime Minister. I am sure the minister will be able to fix these up at some stage or provide some guidance. I note the Prime Minister on 16 April, when announcing Hamid Karzai's next few months in terms of tranche 3 and transition, indicated the bulk of our force and enablers would transition in 12 to 18 months. That would cease their work literally by Christmas 2013. The Prime Minister said:

We will no longer be conducting routine front-line operations within the Afghan National Security Forces. The Australian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team will have completed its work and the majority of our troops will have returned home. We will no longer be conducting routine front-line operations … Provincial Reconstruction Team will have completed its work.

The first question is: did the Prime Minister mean the PRT or was she in fact referring to the mentoring taskforce? In terms of the bulk of our troops coming home, is that a firm commitment from the Prime Minister that at the cessation by, or no later than, the end of next year the MRT will indeed commence coming home in bulk? I note that in the joint transcript between the minister and the Prime Minister on Monday 21 May, the Prime Minister again said:

In Oruzgan Province, in which we work, transition begins in coming months and, as you know, we expect this process to take 12 to 18 months, and at its conclusion the majority of Australian troops will be able to return home.

The Prime Minister makes the same statement. She then goes on to say:

Our mission after transition will change and it will evolve. Afghanistan will have responsibility for its own security. ISAF will have made a shift from its combat mission, but there will still be a continuing need for support.

However, under questioning, later on the Prime Minister made this statement:

At the end of 2014, what you see is the end of the current mission, the current combat mission, and a move to a different set of circumstances …

All we simply ask is for some clarification, Minister, in terms of whether 2013 is the end of it. Is it the best likelihood under the best guidance you currently have for the full transition from combat to support? Will the bulk of Australian combat troops be returning by the end of that transition, currently somewhere between July and December 2013, or will the bulk of the troops be moving in 2014?

General Allen's statement that in the last 12 months there has been an expansion of the Afghan security forces from 276,000 to 340,000 is a welcome statement, including his comments:

The expansion and professionalization of Afghan security forces now allow us to recover the remaining 23,000 US surge troops by this fall—

I gather he means August or around that time—

enable us to continue to pressure the Taliban to reintegrate and reconcile, and make possible security transition to the Afghans in accordance with our Lisbon commitments.

Such statements are indeed welcome.

I also note from the minister that he is committing Australian forces, with which the coalition agrees in terms of transition, to Duntroon in the desert, which I still believe is the preferred thing to call it rather than Sandhurst in the sand, and to the school of gunnery, which is great, as well as a future role for our special operations as long as the mandate is acceptable to the nation—all of which the coalition accepts. Minister, you have made no comment on the current over 150 embedded ostensibly staff officers within the various joint headquarters. I gather US forces will retain some headquarter element and there may be an opportunity for Australian military forces to retain some military officers embedded at that headquarter level—again, which the coalition would support. It would be good to get an idea at what level and at what ranks and at what positions the Australian military could expect to have some of their officers and other ranks within that embedded force.

I note the support for a long-term partnership within Afghanistan to ensure that Afghanistan can no longer return to being a place where terrorism is supported, aided, abetted, indoctrinated and given freedom of action. Again, the coalition supports a long-term partnership. We acknowledge the $100 million per annum starting in 2015. We were somewhat interested to see that this number is significantly higher compared with the majority of other European nations, especially when we factor GDP into the equation—the percentage of GDP that other nations have provided. I think Australia can be very proud that as a nation we are so generous in our support, not only to the US alliance in providing such a level of funding but to NATO as a whole.

We also note that aid will run or increase from $165 million to $250 million by 2015-16, as announced on 20 May 2012. Minister, last time we spoke, a week or two ago, the coalition expressed its profound disappointment in the budget, especially in the $5½ billion worth of cuts to Defence. We acknowledge and we accept your statements and the statements of senior military officers that this will have no impact on current defence support to current operations and we accept that. However, as we look forward to a long-term partnership in transition, we see that elements of Australian military forces, ostensibly special forces, may well have a commitment role up to the end of the decade—again, something which the Prime Minister has announced in this House and the coalition has supported.

If that is the case, the question is what impact will these defence cuts have on our future military capability and our future military operations post-2014, acknowledging and accepting at face value the commanders' and the minister's judgment that the current cuts will have no impact on current military operations? I therefore ask, Minister, if you could get back to the House with your advice as to what impact the current cuts will have on future combat capability. I refer you to Chief of Army General Morrison's message dated 9 May 2012, sent to all commanders and RSMs, where he lists in significant detail the cuts Army will have to make as a direct consequence of the budget. In fact, in his opening paragraph he said:

It is important that you understand the scale of the ADF's budgetary reductions to help you put into context the decisions that have been made.

So, Minister, if you could provide some update on the following delayed projects and what impact they may have on future conduct capability, accepting current combat capability is fine: JP 2097 Phase IB—REDFIN Special Operations Capability, the replacement special operations vehicles and battle management system, which has slipped at least one year; JP 129 Phase 3—the Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, the Shadow replacement or upgrade, which has slipped one year; LAND 125 Phase 3 Charlie—Soldier Enhancement Version 2 or enhancing the F88's lethality, which, again, has slipped; LAND 125 Phase 4—the Integrated Soldier System Version 3, next generation of the soldier combat system covering lethality, survivability, mobility and command and control; JP 154 Phase 2—the counter IED, or improvised explosive device, force protection ECM and the weapons technical intelligence capability; and, lastly, JP 3011 Phase 1—the non-lethal weapons enhancing the ADF's non-lethal capabilities.

I note the minister's update in terms of civilian casualties and the work that has been done to ensure that civilian casualties are investigated where they occur. I think it is important, though, for the House to understand the professionalism of our soldiers, which the minister has of course spoken of. Having spoken to many soldiers in Afghanistan over my three visits there, and having known many of their commanders, I know we are faced at times on combat operations with civilians being in the middle. I know as a statement of fact that when civilians are caught in the crossfire Australian soldiers cease shooting. Our enemy does not, and there lies the substantive difference between our force and the enemy we fight. Every effort is made to ensure that there are as few civilian casualties as possible—every effort. In terms of civilians in the battlefield, which is an everyday occurrence, their place in the battlefield ensures that our combat capability cannot be maximised because we do not fire into civilian compounds. We cease firing when civilians are engaged in the middle ground or in the way but our enemy forces do not. I thank the minister for his update on civilian casualties. I remind the House of the professionalism of our forces and the work they do every day to ensure civilians are not harmed and are not impacted. I remind them that the enemy we face has—to their shame—no problem firing at our troops where there are civilians in the middle. I thank the minister for his brief on the ADFA issues and the ADFIS issues and for his update to the House in that respect. I request the minister to drop the coalition a confidential line on the nature of those ADFIS issues and where they are, to give us an idea from a personnel point of view.

I note the minister's update on combat fatality reports. I note that all inquiry officer reports in combat deaths that occurred in 2010 have been completed. The families of those personnel killed in action have been briefed on the outcomes of those inquiries. I understand some of those reports have been made public and some have not been, and the coalition supports the minister's absolute discretion in determining what is appropriate in those circumstances. I agree with the minister that the families' wishes with regard to any public release are paramount and should always be highly in consideration.

I note that there are still four incidences outstanding from 2011, and the families of those ADF personnel killed in action may not have been briefed as a result of those actions. I acknowledge the minister will update the House as soon as practical on the outcomes of those inquiries. We all understand that it is important that families know in as much detail as possible the circumstances around how their loved ones gave their lives for the nation, but again I urge the minister to ensure the appropriate resources are provided to finalise these inquiries. Some of these four may have been waiting up to 300 days—10 or 12 months. Reports on inquires into US service personnel take an average of two months to complete. The four outstanding are taking up to 10 to 12 months.

It is important, as we finalise the discussion of the update on Afghanistan and the coalition's response, that I join the minister in acknowledging our men and women and what they are doing. The government and the opposition were represented yesterday when the elements of MTF-5—which is the base force surrounding the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment—and all of the enablers from 15 different units had their parade at Enoggera Barracks as family and friends wished them well as they went. It is important to know that something like 900 troops from MTF-5, based around the 3rd Battalion, will transition over the current months into Afghanistan for their six-month tour of duty.

I wish Lieutenant Colonel Trent Scott, a good colleague of mine whom I joined with in 1988, and the men and women of the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment, and all the enabling forces that go with MTF-5, the very best in what they do. I know Australians can be proud of what they will do. They will fight hard. They will ask no quarter and they will give none. However, they will show great compassion. They will show great leadership on the field. They will respect the Afghans with whom they fight and those whom they fight against, and they will do our nation proud. Minister, thank you again for your commitment in keeping the House up to date.