Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Back for his long interest in this particular policy area. Australia is making a very significant contribution to maritime security in the Middle East through our contribution to the Combined Maritime Forces. Currently, the Anzac class frigate HMAS Aruntais deployed to the region as part of Operation Manitou and is helping to stem the flow of drugs and contraband through the waters of the region.

I can advise the Senate that the ship's company has so far in this deployment seized over 1.3 tonnes of drugs during this time. On 7 June, just last week, the crew seized 260 kilograms of heroin in the north Indian Ocean that was concealed inside a suspicious dhow. This is the third successful intercept of drugs during Arunta's current deployment. The ship's company made a 250 kilogram seizure of heroin in May and an 800 kilogram seizure of hashish in March. In April, I actually joined HMAS Aruntaduring her transit of the Strait of Hormuz. I was able to meet and thank the ship's company for their efforts.

The interception of these narcotics is very important to help deny the financial pathway that terrorists use to fund their activities in the Middle East and beyond. By preventing those drugs from reaching their destination, not only are we destroying their ability to raise funds and helping to create a more stable region while fostering trade and commerce but we are also protecting destination countries from the potential harmful impacts of these drugs. This isArunta's fourth deployment to the region. It is Australia's 64th rotation of a Royal Australian Navy vessel in the gulf since the first Gulf War in 1990. The men and women of the ship's company of HMAS Aruntaare extraordinarily proud of the work that they do—and so they should be.