Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Hansard source

The decision to go to war is rightly a decision for the government of the day. Decisions by the government of the day are always tested, or are able to be tested, on the floor of the House of Representatives, which, of course, determines who forms a government. Parliaments are rightly able to consider and debate important matters of state, as the parliament did during the debate on Afghanistan. But it is for elected governments to exercise responsibility and be held to account for the decisions they make, including going to war.

These decisions do not require an act of the parliament. They are an exercise of executive power under section 61 of the Australian Constitution. The government regards this long-standing constitutional practice as appropriate, and does not support any proposal to alter these arrangements. (Time expired)