Nola Marino (Forrest, 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 how the government is working closely with our international partners to bring justice to the victims of the downing of MH17?

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

I thank the member for Forrest for this important question. Last Friday, the Australian government joined with the government of the Netherlands in asserting the state responsibility of the Russian Federation for its role in the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines' MH17 on 17 July 2014. We have officially informed the Russian Federation in Moscow, in Canberra and in the Hague of the findings of the joint investigation team, which is that the Buk missile that was deployed to shoot down the plane belonged to the Russian army's 53rd Antiaircraft Missile Brigade, that the missile system was transported from Russia into the Ukraine and into territory that was controlled at the time by Russian-backed fighters, that a missile from that system was deployed to shoot down a passenger jet that was cruising at an altitude of 33,000 feet and that the missile system was then transported back into Russia immediately, that very same day. The decision to deploy an advanced, sophisticated military weapon directly led to the deaths of all 298 passengers and crew on board, including 38 people from Australia.

The actions of the Russian Federation demand a response and we have urged Russia to admit responsibility. We have called on Russia to enter into negotiations on matters relating to its conduct, including compensation for the victims' families. We've also called on Russia to comply with the unanimous UN Security Council resolution 2166 that requires all states to fully cooperate in all efforts to establish accountability.

The joint investigation team will continue its work, and this will lead to a Dutch national prosecution. Ukraine, the country where the crash occurred, has transferred all relevant legal jurisdiction to the Netherlands to enable the prosecution to proceed and to enable all victims to be represented. I point out that Ukraine has extradition arrangements with Russia. The Australian government remains absolutely committed to pursuing the perpetrators and holding them to account, and we have allocated over $50 million to enable the prosecution to proceed and also to ensure that the Australian families can also attend.

I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the many Australian officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, from Defence, from the Attorney-General's Department, from the Australian Federal Police and from our Intelligence Community who've played a significant role in our response to this crash and also the investigation from 2014, and their work is continuing. This atrocity represented a threat to global civil aviation safety, and we stand with the grieving families and with our international partners in the pursuit of answers and ultimately justice.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On indulgence: I rise to associate the opposition with the remarks of the foreign minister. Like many members of the House, I've had the sad privilege of meeting the families of the people who were murdered in 2014. Thirty-eight Australians were murdered. Two hundred and ninety-eight people were murdered. We supported, when this terrible atrocity occurred, the strong actions of the then Prime Minister, the member for Warringah. We again support the government now and the actions of the foreign minister.

We wholeheartedly agree with the conclusions of the international report about the origin of this murder weapon. Despite what the Russian ambassador to Australia has said—that these are merely reports on social media—they are most certainly not, and no amount of counter-rhetoric from the Russian Federation will dissuade the Australian government or opposition from the truth of what has happened. I make these remarks on indulgence not just for the Australian people but also to send a message to the Russian Federation that, whatever the debates we have here, when it comes to the MH17 atrocity this parliament of is one mind. There is no daylight. There are no shades of grey. The UN Security Council resolutions must be respected. We demand full transparency. We seek compensation, not because there's a single family member who wouldn't rather just have their loved ones back but as a recognition of responsibility. The families of those people who were murdered deserve closure, and the Russian Federation should be on notice that this parliament unanimously supports the actions of the government.