George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Wong. That is a very important question, of course. Reports that North Korea has acquired the ability to develop a miniaturised nuclear device which may be placed on an intercontinental ballistic missile are deeply unsettling. We need to be clear that responsibility for tension and instability arising out of the Korean Peninsula lies at the feet of the regime in Pyongyang, whose actions contravene international law, pose a serious threat to global peace, stability and the rules based order we seek to protect and advance.

North Korea has been in flagrant violation of no fewer than six United Nations Security Council resolutions going back as far as 2006, which condemn its multiple missile launches and five nuclear tests—most recently its ICBM test on 28 July this year. North Korea has a chequered history of making and breaking promises to wind back its illegal nuclear weapons and missile programs. Since taking power in December 2011, Kim Jong-un has accelerated the development of these programs.

If a North Korean intercontinental ballistic nuclear missile is capable of reaching the United States, then such a weapon is capable of reaching Australia and poses an unacceptable, existential threat to our country. Australia's policy, with respect to confronting this challenge, remains clear and consistent. Presently, North Korea is defiant; however, Pyongyang is deterrable, if the international community is determined and resolute.

The collective way forward is to call on all countries to fully implement UNSC sanctions against North Korea. (Time expired)