Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

Can I thank Senator Smith for that very important question on what is a genuine international threat and, as we have seen and witnessed in recent days, that has fundamental domestic relevance to Australia as well. ISIL is a terrorist organisation. Its ambitions know no borders and delight in publicising wanton and barbaric acts of violence, terror and execution. There are now 1.8 million internally displaced people within Iraq. The Australian government is appalled by what appear to be a third video of an ISIL beheading, this time of a British aid worker, and by the gruesome beheadings of two innocent US journalists, and numerous other atrocities in Iraq and Syria.

The overwhelming majority of Australians and I am sure everyone in this chamber find the barbarism of ISIL absolutely and utterly abhorrent. The emergence of ISIL and its universal declaration of an Islamic caliphate has concerning ramifications for Australia and our region as well as the Middle East. The decision by Australia to join the international coalition of some 40 nations to prepare and deploy a military force to counter the ISIL threat was not one that was taken lightly or with haste. These are grave decisions for any government and for any opposition to support.

It should be noted that our security experts have been concerned for the past 18 months about foreign fighters travelling to the region to further terrorist causes. Currently, we know there are at least 60 Australians fighting with ISIL and other terrorist groups, and another 100 or so supporting these extremists.