Warren Entsch (Leichhardt, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister update the House on action that the government is taking with our international allies to ensure the security of Australians at home and abroad?

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Leichardt for his question and note his deep concern about security issues. Tomorrow I will travel to Washington to attend a meeting of foreign ministers and foreign secretaries for the global coalition in the fight against ISIS. This is hosted by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and it will be the first meeting of the full coalition—now 68 members—since December 2014. I will later attend a meeting of foreign ministers and foreign secretaries of the smaller group within the coalition, who are making a more significant contribution to the international effort to defeat ISIS.

In particular, Australia is making a significant contribution in a number of ways, because we are at a pivotal point in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. First, we are making a military contribution. We are engaged in air strikes over Syria. We are also providing training and support to the Iraqi security forces, the police and the army in Iraq. We are also working to stop the flow of foreign terrorist fighters in and out of Syria and Iraq and we are working to stop the flow of financing to the terrorist groups. We are also mindful of the humanitarian disaster in Syria and also in Iraq and, since 2011, Australia has contributed almost $500 million to support not only those who are directly affected by the conflict but also the countries around Syria and Iraq who are seeking to host refugees in the region, so that when the conflict is over they can return home.

The Australian government is deeply concerned about the links between ISIS in Syria and Iraq and South-East Asia. Last week I visited Indonesia and met with foreign minister Retno Marsudi. We discussed their concerns, shared by Australia, about an estimated 500 foreign terrorist fighters from Indonesia who may well be returning to our part of the world when the conflict is over. I also travelled to Malaysia and met with foreign minister Anifah Aman, and we are working closely with Malaysia to share intelligence on returning foreign terrorist fighters. Also, last week in the Philippines I met with foreign minister Enrique Manalo. The Philippines are concerned about the southern Philippines region, Mindanao, in particular, because there are Islamic jihadist groups there, including the Abu Sayyaf group, which has self-declared its connection to ISIS. We have provided a package of support for the Philippines so that they can continue to counter terrorism, share intelligence and stop the flow of foreign terrorist fighters. Australia will do all it can to keep our people safe from terrorism.