Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Ludlum was in primary school. It has been 36 years since I did statutory law interpretation—and not a word from Senator Back on that either—but, in terms of general principles, if this piece of legislation is intended to ratify the terms of this convention, which is quite explicit as to its key obligation, which relates to 'never under any circumstances should a state party assist, encourage or induce anyone to engage in any activity', leaving aside any issues of hypotheticals of Iraq, and I do not think anyone can say that the Iraq war was a hypothetical event—