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

I want to note for the record that Senator Molan, not making his first speech, in the chamber last night made some remarks on the record in relation to the issue of contention that Senator Di Natale has made. In relation to Senator Di Natale's further question, that has been discussed at length in this chamber and in the other chamber, for that matter, and the resolution of both has on previous occasions been no.

The one thing I want to emphasise, though, is that we in the government will not apologise for our assiduous prosecution against violent extremists and terrorists in the Middle East or wherever they arise. We have members of the ADF—men and women of the ADF—currently engaged in the Middle East, prosecuting the case against violent extremism and terrorist organisations who seek to use men, women and children as their defensive tool, and some people in this chamber excuse that sort of behaviour.