Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Brandis. Could the minister provide an update on the threat posed by North Korea to international peace and stability.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to 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)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, a supplementary question?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know the minister referred to the collective way forward and I ask that he update the Senate on what action collectively the international community is taking to reduce tensions and resolve conflict on the Korean Peninsula.

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

Thank you, Senator Wong. Australia has sanctioned 37 people and 31 entities under our autonomous sanctions measures. As well, of course, we are parties to all of the collective sanctions regimes, which are the subject of the UN Security Council resolutions to which I have referred. In fact, on 30 November, Australia was a co-sponsor of UN Security Council Resolution 2321, which placed additional UN sanctions on North Korea. We strongly support Resolution 2371, passed on 5 August, which places further significant restrictions on trade with North Korea, including on its exports of coal, iron, lead, and seafood. But all nations, particularly those with diplomatic or economic relationships with North Korea, must use their leverage.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, a final supplementary question.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise further how the government is joining with this global effort, and what action the government is seeking from all nations?

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

Senator Wong, let me expand on my remarks in relation to your first supplementary question. So, as I said, we were a co-sponsor of Resolution 2321 last November. We are one of the nations that supported Resolution 2371, supported by almost all members of the United Nations, which was passed four days ago, which is the most comprehensive sanctions package against Pyongyang to date. As I was saying to you a moment ago, all nations, particularly those with diplomatic or economic relationships with North Korea, must use their leverage to place pressure on Pyongyang to change North Korea's calculations, and the Australian government calls upon them to do so. All nations, but most critically the P5, must defend the authority of the United Nations Security Council. We are constantly reviewing and extending our autonomous sanctions regime to complement and augment security council sanctions.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. Can the minister further advise the Senate of North Korea's ongoing ballistic missile tests, which are damaging regional security and stability?

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

I thank Senator McKenzie for her question. To add to the statements of the Attorney-General: as both the Prime Minister, the foreign minister and I have consistently said, Australia condemns North Korea's ongoing development of nuclear and ballistic missile programs in the strongest possible terms. North Korea has shown that it has no regard for the welfare of its own population, no regard for the security of, and good relations with, its neighbours, and no regard for international law.

North Korea has claimed nuclear capability. It is repeatedly testing ICBMs. It has issued directed threats against the United States, South Korea, Japan and, indeed, Australia. Reports today of North Korea's threat to strike Guam further underlines the need for the regime to abandon its illegal ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs. North Korea's actions are, as the Attorney-General said, in blatant breach of UN Security Council resolutions. Its actions undermine regional security and stability, and the international community cannot tolerate this behaviour. North Korea's long-term interests would be best served by ceasing its nuclear and ballistic missiles programs and engaging positively with the international community. Australia will continue to work with the international community in response to North Korea's actions to seek a resolution in a peaceful manner and to ensure the long-term stability of our region.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, a supplementary question?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise the Senate of how Australia is working with our regional partners and allies to support peace and stability in north-east Asia?

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

We are, indeed, working with the international community in response to North Korea's actions, and the Attorney-General indicated a number of those actions. We strongly support efforts to forge regional and multilateral solutions to enhance security across the Indo-Pacific and to address what is a reckless and illegal threat from North Korea. We are working with the United States to counter the ballistic missile threat, including in the development of new technologies. Indeed, in 2014, Australia and the United States established a bilateral working group to examine options for potential Australian contributions to integrated air and missile defence in the region.

As I have said, we also work closely with our alliance partner the United States and other like-minded countries on diplomatic means to address North Korea's behaviour. Australia also supports international efforts to prevent the proliferation of technology that supports the development of ballistic missiles and other weapon delivery systems. We continue to work with our partners—Japan, the Republic of Korea and, of course, China and the United States—to uphold global peace and stability. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, a final supplementary question?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise the Senate of what else the Australian government is doing to encourage North Korea to abandon its reckless and provocative actions?

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

We welcome, in particular, the unanimous decision of the UN Security Council to impose stronger sanctions that implement a full ban on North Korea's export of coal, iron, lead and seafood. North Korea has, as has become the case, responded with military threat to that resolution.

In support of international efforts on North Korea, under our own autonomous sanctions regime, Australia will also apply targeted financial sanctions and further travel bans on several additional individuals and seven specific entities. They will target North Korea's extractive industries and its vessels. Our measures do add to the international pressure on North Korea, and they complement the resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council and the other autonomous sanctions of our partners. We call on all countries, as the Prime Minister and the foreign minister have done, to redouble their efforts to implement unanimously agreed UN Security Council resolutions and sanctions against North Korea to impress upon it the unsustainability of its current path. (Time expired)