Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

The government does not support this suspension of standing orders. We believe there are other opportunities for senators in this place to put forward arguments like the one Senator Thorpe seeks to put here today, including as MPIs and urgency motions et cetera.

To be brief, I want to make it clear, as many ministers have in many different forums, that Australia has not supplied weapons to Israel since the conflict began and for at least the past five years. Australia has a stringent export control framework which is designed to ensure military and dual-use items are used responsibly outside of Australia. This framework requires the government to consider Australia's national interests and international obligations, including with regard to human rights, before issuing an export permit. As part of this process, Defence considers factors including the nature of the export, its proposed destination country and the proposed end user at that destination. Where there is a risk that issuing a permit could contravene our interests or obligations, that permit is refused. Defence continues to review the export permits it has granted to account for changes in the strategic environment and ensure that our exports continue to align with our international obligations.

Australia is party to and fully implements all major international arms control treaties, including the Arms Trade Treaty. Specifically, when Defence issues export permits for military or dual use, these are listed publicly on the Defence and Strategic Goods List. The supply of a weapon to Israel from Australia by the Australian government, an Australian company or an individual in Australia would require Defence to issue an export permit to allow it to leave our shores. The government can confirm that no weapons have been supplied to Israel for at least the past five years, because no export permits have been issued for weapons in that time.

I move:

That the question be now put.