Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move a motion relating to Palestine, as circulated in the chamber.

Leave not granted.

Pursuant to contingent notice of motion standing in the name of Senator Waters, I move:

That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me from moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion in relation to Palestine, and give precedence to the motion in relation to that subject.

The Australian Greens motion today is asking the Australian government to take action that is within its control, to place sanctions upon members of the Netanyahu government. This motion is an opportunity for the government to take decisive action and to send a meaningful message that the actions and words of those leading a genocide are not acceptable to our community here in Australia.

Let's be clear. The Australian government uses autonomous sanctions all the time. The question is: why, 300 days into this invasion, has the Australian government not placed sanctions on any individuals responsible for the genocide that is being perpetrated by the State of Israel? The Australian government has placed 703 autonomous sanctions on the Republic of Iran, 568 on Syria and over 1,300 upon the Russian Federation—and, yet, this government is yet to place a single sanction upon any individual responsible for the genocide in Gaza.

Today's motion comes to the Senate in the context of Netanyahu's finance minister, Mr Smotrich, despicably stating that starving two million people 'might be just and moral'. This government has noted that starving millions of people is a war crime, yet we have seen no tangible consequence. Think about that: a senior minister of the Netanyahu government describes starving two million people as something that 'might be just and moral', and there is no sanction from the Australian government—no tangible consequence. The global community is demanding action. The International Court of Justice handed down an advisory opinion that stated clearly that the State of Israel's continued presence in the occupied territories is unlawful. To comply with this ruling, the Australian Centre of International Justice has called on the Australian government to take decisive action, including applying targeted sanctions and imposing an arms embargo.

The genocide has been going on for over 300 days. That's 300 days of war crimes, and over 40,000 Palestinian people have been killed in that time. The community expects the Australian government to do what is in its control—to say, 'Enough is enough.' The motion today would draw a clear line in the sand. The individuals who are responsible for perpetrating genocide are to face consequences for their actions. Today the Greens and the community ask senators to vote yes to recognising the State of Israel's actions for what they are—war crimes and crimes against humanity—and to demand that their perpetrators be held accountable. The Australian government must cancel their contracts with weapons and arms manufacturers such as Elbit Systems. We must expel the State of Israel's ambassador to Australia. We must sanction Prime Minister Netanyahu and his security cabinet, and we must keep calling for peace until we have a permanent ceasefire.