Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

More than 93,000 people have been killed; 6.8 million Syrians needing humanitarian assistance; 1.6 million refugees, and estimates that there will be 3.6 million by the end of this year; a third of Syria's housing stock, 1.2 million homes, damaged or destroyed and an estimate that the homes of nine million people will be destroyed by the end of the year—nine million out of 22 million.

Australia has sought to respond to this immense human tragedy of Syria on four levels, the first being humanitarian. We have committed $78.5 million in assistance to the camps, where desperate refugees are trying to seek some shelter. We are the eighth largest donor to this crisis. Second, we will continue to advocate access to and protection of medical facilities, personnel and supplies, to stop the deliberate targeting of personnel and hospitals and the denial of medical access. Third, Australia will not supply arms to opposition elements. Such a course is not compatible with our assessment that Australia can most effectively contribute through humanitarian channels; nor can we have any certainty about the recipients, the use or the traceability of such arms.

Fourth, and most importantly, there will be no end to this suffering in Syria without a political settlement. Australia therefore supports the early convening of the Geneva II conference. The conference needs, above all, to achieve a ceasefire. It also needs to establish a transitional authority—an authority with full executive powers that can give the people of Syria some hope for a democratic future. And the efforts of Joint Special Representative Brahimi must be supported. We want progress within the country to enable the people of Syria to vote and elect their own government for the first time, effectively, in their history. (Time expired)