Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

So let's just send them back to the Assad regime, will we? That is a fantastic solution—not! The fundamental flaw—actually there are many, but there is one that I will focus on—in the Attorney's response is that guns and bombs are far easier to get a hold of in Syria than in Australia, and thankfully so for us here in Australia. Also, we have far better social cohesion frameworks here in Australia, which is where the new Prime Minister wants to go in this debate—and rightfully so, I might add—so that we can attempt to de-radicalise people in Australia. There is a far better chance of de-radicalising somebody here in Australia than there is over there under the Assad regime in Syria. Surely the Attorney would have to accept that.

In relation to the legislation as a whole and whether or not it indeed acts to make Australia safe—and I will flag now that I will have some questions on this further on the committee stages once the Senate has dealt with these amendments—I want to quote something really quickly from Professor Ben Saul, a counter-terrorism expert from the University of Sydney. He says this legislation:

… is certain to make the world more dangerous and is grossly irresponsible. It is contrary to Australia's international legal obligations to counter terrorism globally.

He goes on to say a little bit later in this article he wrote for The Drum:

Under the proposal, Australia washes its hands of responsibility for Australian terrorists. For those already overseas in Syria and Iraq, it leaves them free to kill and maim and up-skill their 'death cult' against innocent civilians in other countries.

And I will pause there and add my own words here: including potentially Australians abroad, as we found out to our absolute horror in Paris recently. Professor Saul goes on to say:

It is a parochial and self-centred 'not in my backyard' policy, where Australia dumps the burden of suppressing its own terrorists onto other countries.

I could not agree more with Professor Saul here, and I place the charge on every Labor and coalition member in this place who is about to, in the next hour or two, vote this legislation through this Senate and therefore this parliament that you are exposing Australians to more danger, more risk of being killed, more risk of being wounded and more risk of being maimed than would otherwise be the case. Be it on your own heads.