Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. Yesterday the ABC reported that as part of Operation Manitou, the Royal Australian Navy on 16 August held training exercises with its Saudi Arabian counterpart in the Middle East, not far from where the very same Saudi Arabian navy is, as we speak, enforcing an ongoing naval blockade of Yemen expressly designed to starve millions of Yemeni civilians to death. We've all seen the harrowing images of emaciated children, barely more than skin and bones. Human Rights Watch and Oxfam have stated that they've asked the Department of Defence for an explanation around this exercise. Have you provided this explanation to Human Rights Watch and Oxfam? Can you please inform the chamber today as to why we are having a military exercise with Saudi Arabia? Have any Australian arms been used in this blockade?

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

I thank Senator Whish-Wilson for his question. Australia is part of the US-led Combined Maritime Forces, as you would be aware, in the Middle East and has been for a number of years. In fact, HMAS Newcastle, which I believe to be the vessel that you're referring to, is the 65th rotation in which Australia is participating in the Combined Maritime Forces.

When the CMF is active and the members thereof are active, it's a 32-nation US-led partnership. It's focused on countering terrorism, on preventing piracy, on encouraging regional cooperation and on promoting a safe maritime environment in international waters. When participants in the Combined Maritime Forces are active, they engage opportunistically, as it were, from time to time in joint activities such as the one to which Senator Whish-Wilson refers. That is the basis upon which the engagement occurred between Australia and Saudi Arabia and their respective navies.

Our contribution to maritime security in the Middle East region does not include enforcement of any blockade on Yemen. We are in no way involved in that process. I'm not aware of the status of the correspondence from Human Rights Watch, but I will take that aspect of your question on notice and seek advice from Defence.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson, a supplementary question.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for her response. The UN's humanitarian chief has warned that the Saudi coalition's blockade will lead to potentially the world's worst famine in decades. Seven million people are on the brink of starvation and more than 50,000 children are expected to die of cholera this year alone. What is the Australian government's position on the Saudi blockade, and will you take this opportunity today to condemn the blockade and this impending human rights catastrophe?

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

I have sought advice from the Minister for Foreign Affairs in relation to this issue. Senator Whish-Wilson is indeed correct when he refers to the United Nations' concerns that have been raised in relation to the situation in Yemen as a very significant humanitarian crisis. Australia has made contributions to support in Yemen since the beginning of this year. Minister Bishop announced the most recent contribution of $10 million on 16 September. That assistance has helped to deliver food, health care, water and sanitation to the many people who are in need of urgent assistance.

We are also contributing to the humanitarian response in Yemen through our funding of the UN Central Emergency Response Fund. We've provided $33 million to UN CERF, as it is known, over the past three years, which has helped UN CERF provide $20 million in 2016 and $60 million in 2015 to Yemen. We have urged all those engaged in the conflict—

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Payne. Senator Whish-Wilson is on his feet. Senator Whish-Wilson, do you have a point of order? I think Senator Payne may have concluded her answer, or the time has expired.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was on my feet with seven seconds to go.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There were five seconds to go, Senator Whish-Wilson.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's exactly why I'm taking a point of order. I asked whether the minister would actually condemn the Saudi blockade. It was a very clear question.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson, when questions have prefaces, ministers are allowed to address those. I call you now for your second supplementary question.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Neil James, of the Australian Defence Association, found the timing and location of the exercise puzzling. On the issue of perception, he said:

Australia is not involved in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states in Yemen. And we should avoid any such connection.

What discussions were held within government and Defence prior to this exercise going ahead to avoid the perception of complicity in this blockade and a taint on the Royal Australian Navy?

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

As I said to the senator in response to his first question, an exercise such as this is engaged in on an opportunity basis—that is, when ships that are part of the CMF are in the same place at the same time. What Australia has done is to urge all those involved in Yemen to end the conflict and to return to UN led negotiations aiming for a permanent end to the hostilities. Australian officials have made representations to the parties to the conflict regarding the importance of allowing unhindered humanitarian access and the need to respect international humanitarian law. In relation to the position of the ADF, Australia does not conduct operations in Yemeni territorial waters or Yemini airspace. Nor do we currently have a defence relationship with—

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson, a point of order?

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a point of order on relevance. I've waited until 18 seconds are left to go. My question was very clear: were there discussions within Defence and between government about the dangers of conducting this exercise now, with a blockade going on that's forcing the starvation of seven million people?

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator, please don't restate the question. Again I make the point—and we had an example earlier in the week—that, when there are prefaces to questions, ministers are allowed to address the preface to the question as well as the final words of the question.

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

I endeavoured to indicate in response to Senator Whish-Wilson's question that that is not the nature of the type of activity that is engaged in within the CMF. The engagements occur between naval representatives, ship to ship, on an opportunistic basis. I've made Australia's position very clear. I've indicated what— (Time expired)