Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Pursuant to contingent notice standing in my name, I seek leave to suspend so much of standing orders as is necessary to allow me to move an amendment to the amended urgency motion. I do note the significance of the passage overnight of a UN Security Council resolution given the lengthy period of debate and number of failed resolutions during that time.

I also note that, fairly swiftly following the passage of that UN Security Council resolution, the instigators of the 7 October terrorist attacks that precipitated the conflict we have seen in Gaza since that time—namely, Hamas—were quick not only to welcome that resolution but also to ignore key aspects of that resolution, a resolution that calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. The response of Hamas was to not accept the call for the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages but, instead, to suggest they would entertain that in some type of prisoner swap arrangement, such was the contempt with which Hamas greeted the resolution from the United Nations.

We acknowledge the government in putting forward a resolution seeking to reflect much of the UN Security Council resolution; however, it is the opposition's view that that does not say enough. It does not say enough to reflect the totality of the UN Security Council resolution nor does it say enough about the totality of what should be Australia's clear, unequivocal moral conviction in this conflict. That is why I present and seek leave to move amendments in this chamber, amendments which would better reflect the UN Security Council resolution—namely, that the call for a ceasefire was for an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan, a ceasefire that would secure the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and that that can then lead to a sustainable ceasefire.

We also seek to ensure that it is appropriately reflected that access for humanitarian assistance, which we wish to see flow to those who are suffering immensely in Gaza, requires the cooperation of all parties. Hamas has been filmed and recorded looting and stealing humanitarian assistance for their own purposes, so to place a moral judgement on one party in this conflict rather than reflecting that all parties must play a role in the provision of humanitarian assistance would be improper. We also seek to give this Senate the opportunity to restate critically the expectation that Hamas must lay down its arms and can have no role in the future governance of Gaza. These are points that the government has made previously, these are points that Australia should stand by and these are points that the coalition unreservedly stands by.

We also, in acknowledging the horrific terrorist attacks of 7 October, believe it is critical that, when discussing these matters, the Senate again reinforces its unconditional condemnation of Hamas for its heinous terrorist attacks and recognises Israel's inherent right to defend itself. The suffering and the loss of life have been immense. It has been well and truly a result of Hamas's terrorist attacks and of Hamas using the Palestinian people and people across Gaza as human shields behind which they hide their terrorist operatives, their terrorist infrastructure and their terrorist capabilities. Hamas's actions have compounded that loss of innocent life in Gaza, as they affected the loss of innocent life in Israel and as they continue to immorally hold hostages from those 7 October attacks. I urge the Senate to give us the right to move these amendments and to have them incorporated into this motion.