Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Senate will now consider the proposal received from Senator Chandler:

Pursuant to standing order 75, I give notice that today I propose to move "That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency:

"The mounting need for Australia to deliver a further package of military, humanitarian and energy assistance to Ukraine, especially given the failure of the recent Budget to provide any new support and Australia's slippage in support relative to likeminded partners."

Is the proposal supported?

More than the number of senators required by the standing orders having risen in their places—

With the concurrence of the Senate, the clerks will set the clock in line with the informal arrangements made by the whips.

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency:

The mounting need for Australia to deliver a further package of military, humanitarian and energy assistance to Ukraine, especially given the failure of the recent Budget to provide any new support and Australia's slippage in support relative to likeminded partners.

I rise to speak on this motion regarding the urgent need for Australia to provide more assistance to the Ukraine government. We have all seen the horrific human impact of Russia's invasion. We've all seen clear evidence of war crimes against both Ukrainian soldiers and the civilian population. We've seen the deliberate bombing of civilian residences, hospitals, power infrastructure and other non-military targets in tactics designed to inflict suffering and death on the Ukrainian population. And it is plain that defeating Russia's invasion is critical not only for Ukraine but also for the rest of the world. Putin must not be allowed to send a message to his fellow authoritarian leaders that they can invade any neighbouring country and obtain victory, particularly if that victory comes through an unwillingness of the West to do what needs to be done to defeat Russia's aggression, an aggression which will only grow if they are successful in defeating Ukraine.

At the outset of Russia's invasion, Australia was at the forefront of providing assistance to the people of Ukraine. Under the former coalition government, Australia was one of the earliest and biggest non-NATO contributors to Ukraine. Our support covered assistance across the humanitarian, military, energy and visa categories and included $285 million in military assistance; $65 million in humanitarian assistance; funding to NATO's trust fund for Ukraine to support non-lethal military equipment and medical supplies; and the delivery of 60 pallets of medical supplies donated by Australians to the Ukrainian government, along with three pallets of radiation-monitoring equipment and personal protective equipment. We gave priority to family stream visa applications from Ukrainian nationals and established a new temporary humanitarian visa for Ukrainians arriving in Australia, which enabled them to study, work and access Medicare while here. Since February, more than 9½ thousand visas have been granted to Ukrainians to come to Australia. We also provided funding to a range of NGOs and community groups to support the provision of aid, donations and support to the refugees and citizens of Ukraine.

But now we have a situation where Australia has dramatically slipped down the list of nations providing assistance to Ukraine. This situation could not be more urgent. For months, the Ukrainian government has been pleading for vital military equipment and resources to support its counteroffensive. They have made a series of specific requests of Australia for equipment which could help the Ukrainians to gain decisive ground in their battle against Russia. These requests have been within our capacity to meet.

Yet, at the recent Senate estimates just a couple of weeks ago, key departments, including the Department of Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, stated that there is no provision at all in their budgets for additional support to Ukraine. It seems that assistance to Ukraine is caught up in the same situation as the rest of our defence budget, with the Albanese government demanding cuts in defence to pay for other priorities. We urge the swift announcement of a new and comprehensive package of Australian military, humanitarian and energy assistance to Ukraine, underpinned by thorough consideration of the Ukrainian government's specific requests, including for Hawkeis, M1 Abrams tanks, F/A-18 Hornets and de-mining equipment and detectors.

If, for some reason, these capabilities cannot be made available to the Ukrainian government, we urge this government to explain today to the Senate why not and to provide an alternative package of support. I don't think it would be any surprise to anybody listening along to this debate at home that Ukraine cannot wait for this assistance. They cannot wait for a media announcement timed to coincide with a prime ministerial visit or the government's media schedule. They need a commitment now and they need that commitment followed by swift delivery. I urge the government speakers today to provide clarity on when our next package of assistance to Ukraine will be announced and to guarantee that we in Australia are doing whatever is necessary to meet the requests that Ukraine has made.

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the chair of the Australia-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group and also as a member of the Australian Ukrainian community, it would be of little surprise to people in this place that I've had a lot of involvement with the Ukrainian community since well before Russia's illegal full-scale invasion started. I also have regular meetings with the co-chairs of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations, Stefan Romaniw OAM and Kateryna Argyrou, and with the Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia, His Excellency Vasyl Myroshnychenko. They are grateful for all the military, humanitarian and moral support Australia has given under both the previous government and the current government. The approach to the ongoing crisis has, until recently, been bipartisan. In fact, it has been supported by the whole parliament.

As a matter of principle, the global community, including Australia, cannot stand idly by while a sovereign nation is subjected to an illegal, immoral and unprovoked invasion. By flouting the rules based order that has maintained relative global peace and security since the end of World War II, Russia's invasion of Ukraine is an attack on all sovereign countries. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Ukrainian people for the extraordinary courage and resolve they have shown. By fighting to uphold this rules based order, they fight for all of us.

Since coming to government, Labor has continued the previous government's policy of providing military assistance to Ukraine while continuing to maintain the capability to defend our own nation if necessary. Our support to date includes 50 Bushmaster armoured vehicles in addition to the 40 committed under the previous government, more armoured vehicles, de-mining equipment to help remove explosive ordinance from the battlefield, $33 million in uncrewed aerial systems and sending 70 Australian Defence Force personnel to take part in Operation Kudu for the training of Ukrainian forces. The commitments made by this government bring Australia's total contribution in military, humanitarian and other assistance to over $680 million, and we remain one of the world's largest contributors to Ukraine outside of NATO.

The material assistance we have given to Ukraine is backed up by costs imposed on Russia to deter and disrupt their illegal actions. Australia has now imposed more than 1,100 sanctions on Russia, including targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on 90 individuals and 40 entities. Our sanctions ban the import of Russian oil, refined petroleum products, coal, gas and gold and the export to Russia of aluminium, bauxite and luxury goods, including wine and cosmetics. The Australian government has directed Export Finance Australia to reject any requests for loans or other finance that support trade with or investment in Russia or Belarus.

Of course, we continue to talk to the government of Ukraine and give careful consideration to all requests for assistance. We will continue to do all we can to assist Ukraine for as long as it takes. In fact, the Deputy Prime Minister has indicated that we will have another iteration of support for Ukraine. This will be announced when the details are finalised.

Throughout the course of the war in Ukraine, I have made it my practice not to politicise the issue of assistance for Ukraine, and I strongly encourage other senators on both sides of the chamber to take the same approach. The reason I have taken this approach is that I strongly believe that arguments over Ukraine, rather than the united front we have so far seen either nationally or globally, undermines the unity and strength of resolve that we demonstrate to the world and to Russia. Continuing the spirit of bipartisanship sends a strong message to Russia that we as a parliament, regardless of who is in government, are united and unwavering in our resolve to condemn and oppose Russia's actions and to help Ukraine achieve victory, just like when we all stood together in the House of Representatives chamber, shoulder to shoulder with Ambassador Myroshnychenko one year after Russia's full-scale invasion, in a show of solidarity with Ukraine.

Perhaps the opposition, if they wish to show their support for Ukraine, could address Liberal and National backbenchers who throw insults at the Ukrainian leader on the floor of the Senate and flirt with Russian disinformation in podcast interviews. As such, I invite those opposite to reflect on whether the urgency motion they've put forward now and their contributions to the debate on this motion are a contribution to the efforts to assist Ukraine. Politicising this issue, doing anything that undermines the spirit of bipartisanship that has continued up until this point, does not serve Australia's interests. Nor does it serve Ukraine's interests. Shame on you.

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

Let us ground this debate in the reality that 481 days have passed since Russia's illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine, 481 days in which the Ukrainian people have confronted the most terrible violence at the hands of the Russian war machine, 481 days in which they have been subject to war crimes, 481 days in which they have been subject to the taking of their children and 481 days in which they have gone to sleep not knowing, many of them, whether their homes would be standing in the morning, whether their sons and daughters would still be alive and whether their nation would endure.

Well, for 481 days, the Ukrainian nation has endured. The Ukrainian nation continues. The Ukrainian nation pushes back. As we gather in the Senate this evening, we are entering the third week of the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the east. The fighting is most intense, according to the UK Ministry of Defence, around Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Oblast and Bakhmut. As towns are liberated in fierce fighting, what is revealed is the ruin of homes and of communities, places that will require incredible amounts of work to rebuild and people who will require and need so much support to heal.

So, as we consider as a Senate what more the Australian government could do in order to lend assistance to the nation of Ukraine, what more the Australian government could do to put tangible action behind its words of solidarity, I once again urge the government to look at the real need for an international program of debt relief for Ukraine. The Ukrainian nation, once it is victorious on the battlefield, cannot be expected to rebuild and to heal while paying back the incredible sums of money that have been required to finance this effort. We would be doing the people of Ukraine a great disservice if, as the ticker tape of the victory parade fades, we abandoned them to a life in the shadow of debt and austerity. We must work internationally to bring together nations for this program of debt relief so that peace can truly follow victory.

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to support this motion regarding support to Ukraine. I welcome the call for bipartisanship and I note that we have very enthusiastically welcomed any announcements of support, including the sanctions and other things the government has given to the effort to defeat a totalitarian regime which shamefully, despite being on the Security Council and supposedly upholding the global rules-based order and security for smaller nations, has illegally invaded their neighbour to impose their will. The problem we have is that we want to do more barracking for this effort, but we're looking for more decisions from the government to provide support. Even ABC Fact Check has called out the Prime Minister for continuing to claim that Australia is the largest non-NATO contributor when that is no longer true and hasn't been for some time because of decreasing levels of support. So we would welcome the opportunity to celebrate and cheer more support from the government, but, given the fact that there is an offensive to liberate the eastern parts of Ukraine underway as we speak, that needs to occur sooner rather than later.

The other thing in this area that I think is important is for the government to do all it can to get other stakeholders and interlocutors in global affairs to use whatever influence they have over the Putin regime to get Russia to withdraw from Ukraine and to respect its sovereignty. In particular, I would encourage the government of President Xi Jinping in China, who have an all-in, no-holds-barred relationship with the Putin regime, to use whatever influence they have to get a better outcome.

I go to some particular measures that I think the government can make a decision on today. During estimates, the department of foreign affairs were talking about their emergency humanitarian fund. As we explored that fund, it was confirmed that they have $12.9 million uncommitted in that fund. At the same time, we see reports coming out of Ukraine—in two reports in particular that I'd like to refer to, by Save the Children—that, as of April, over 500 children have been confirmed as having been killed in Ukraine since Russia's unjustified and illegal invasion, and over 900, nearly a thousand, are confirmed to have been injured. And it is feared that those numbers are actually much greater. There are mine incidents daily in Ukraine, and one in eight casualties of landmines are children.

The other thing to be aware of is that there are 17,000-odd people that have been affected, after the damage to the dam, by the flooding that has occurred around the Dnipro river. In Australia we're all used to floods and the damage and disease they cause, and other impacts. The unique part there is that those waters have raced through the land and unearthed landmines, and now there is this scattering of landmines throughout that flood plain, which affect communities, particularly children, in those areas.

For that $12.9 million—there is an Australian capability, a group called Minelab, who make the world's most advanced mine detection system, the MDS-10, which is used by the American Department of Defense. It's also used by NGOs, such as the HALO Trust, who conduct mine-clearing operations in conflict zones worldwide. There is an opportunity, in the last eight or so working days before the end of the financial year, for the government to commit the $12.9 million that is uncommitted in the emergency humanitarian fund. If there was ever a cause which is an emergency humanitarian need, from both the flooding and particularly the mine characteristics, where we could be saving the lives of innocent men, women and children, it is the provision of de-mining equipment as well as training to the Ukrainian government, to their society and to international groups to support their work there. So, quite apart from the military announcements that we are looking for—including the 41 Hornets, which I think should be delivered, particularly with American support around spares and maintenance—there is no reason why that $12.9 million can't be committed right now to provide de-mining equipment for the children of Ukraine.

Linda White (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government supports this urgency motion. This is based on our record of support for Ukraine and the concern we have about the motivations of the coalition, who are seeking to politicise foreign policy for cheap political gain. Firstly, I want to put on record in this place my support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian oppression. For nearly 16 months, the Ukrainian people have been locked in a gruelling war they did not start and which has taken so much from them. I'm proud to stand with Ukraine as it defends its people, its territory and its sovereignty.

After the bleak consequences of both the Second World War and the Cold War in the 20th century, we're now seeing the reality of another full-scale invasion in Europe. This is a reality I find disheartening and shocking. I don't really like talking about war in this place. I do not wish to condone it or to pretend that I agree it is ever permissible; however, I acknowledge that sometimes in life we must pick sides. The people of Ukraine have no choice but to defend themselves against unprovoked aggression from the Russian state, and, on that basis, we in this place must support the efforts of Ukraine to protect themselves.

In that vein, I also want to make mention of the efforts in advocating for Ukraine of my colleague and friend Senator Bilyk. Senator Bilyk has a personal connection to Ukraine, as she has spoken of today, and, since the beginning of the war, she has worked to publicise the efforts of the Ukrainian people in defending their lands. I thank her for her leadership in this place on Ukraine.

I want to step out the support that the Australian government, particularly the Labor government, has provided to the people and government of Ukraine since the invasion began. In my view, that support has been significant. In military terms, Australia has remained one of the largest contributors both within our region and as a non-NATO-member country. In fact, our government has nearly doubled the dollar amount spent on military support for Ukraine. We have spent over $680 million since we took office in May last year. We have provided 90 Bushmasters, a number of armoured vehicles, explosives removal equipment and ADF personnel to help train Ukrainian troops in the United Kingdom, to name some of the initiatives. Ukraine cannot win the war against Russia without military equipment, and the government acknowledges that difficult fact.

The humanitarian response of the Australian government is also an important aspect of our support of Ukraine. We are extending immigration support and access to social safety nets for Ukrainian nationals in Australia and Ukrainians seeking to come here, fleeing war zones and violence. This sort of humanitarian and practical administrative help for those fleeing the terror of war is really important because it contributes to the safety of Ukrainian citizens and maintains important links between Australia's Ukrainian community and their family and friends back home.

Lastly, the government has taken serious action to make sure that the Russian state and Russian economy do not profit from the war in Ukraine, and to press those financing the illegal invasion to stop pouring money into it. Senator Bilyk detailed these measures in great detail, but I remind you that there are more than 1,100 targeted financial sanctions and trade sanctions on key Russian individuals and industries that look to prevent the importation of Russian oil, coal, gas and gold.

All of this military, humanitarian, diplomatic and economic support provided to Ukraine shows that the Australian government is committed to maintaining and reinforcing the international rules-based order, a system which represents the best shot we have at avoiding war and preserving peace. Russia needs to be held to account. The illegal invasion of another country, undertaken in the way Russia invaded Ukraine, is not acceptable. This should always be the case.

It's also worth pointing out that until recently the question of government support for Ukraine was a bipartisan and non-politicised question. However, I must acknowledge that even me standing here to debate an urgency motion raised by Senator Chandler represents the latest desperate attempt by the coalition to politicise important matters of foreign policy.

Finally, I say: I'm proud of the government's record of support for Ukraine and I stand with Ukraine.

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

VID POCOCK () (): I thank you for the opportunity to debate this important urgency motion. I'm proud to stand and speak as a representative of members of my community, including Canberran Ukrainians who are seeking additional support for Ukraine. Here are the words of my constituent Andrew Liszczynsky:

The Ukrainian community here is still outraged about the invasion.

Ukraine is a sovereign nation that is grimly defending that sovereignty.

The Ukrainian community here and all over Australia and the rest of the world continue to protest this Russian aggression and will continue to do so whilst Russian forces are in Ukraine.

Ukraine is determined to defend all things Ukrainian and the world is showing massive support because this is simply wrong. Putin will lose and Ukraine will prevail!

Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I met with the Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia. He told me the Ukrainians are very grateful for the support they have already received from the government and the Australian people. The government has provided Bushmasters and ammunition, and the ADF is involved in training Ukrainian troops in the United Kingdom.

While grateful, the ambassador assured me that there is a real and desperate need for more help right now—not tomorrow. The counteroffensive is on and the Ukrainians are fighting hard but with heavy losses of life every day. When the Prime Minister announced the package for Ukraine last year, he said that Australian support for Ukraine will continue 'for as long as it takes for Ukraine to emerge victorious'.

I've got the perfect date for the government to announce more help for Ukrainians, including 90 Hawkeis and more Bushmasters. That day is 24 August—Ukraine's day of independence. I have to say: stop going in half-pregnant, and give it everything you've got because it's the only way you are going to give those Ukrainians a fighting chance to win this war. No more half-pregnancy—get in there and go hard.

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I too rise to speak in support of this important urgency motion, and I commend Senator Chandler for this motion and this initiative. For months now, need has been mounting for this Labor government to deliver a further package of military, humanitarian and energy assistance to Ukraine—something that has and continues to be overwhelmingly supported by the Australian people. It is time now for less spin and more action, which would be incredibly welcomed by Australians.

In the spirit of bipartisanship, and also drawing on my own background, I've been working very closely with the Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia and Australian de-mining experts to prepare an options paper for the ambassador and the Australian government on what Australia can do to assist Ukraine with de-mining and also with mine action. It is a modest but incredibly meaningful and important package and one that can save so many civilian lives now and well into the future. The need is absolutely great and it is urgent and it will be ongoing.

Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in early 2014, Russia has used a wide range of explosive ordnance throughout Ukraine, including mines, cluster munitions, booby traps, mortars, artillery, rockets and missiles. They are also now using improvised explosive devices aimed at women and children. They're rigged up in houses, in streets and even in children's toys. Ukraine is now the most mined country in the world and, unsurprisingly, de-mining is now the third most important issue for Ukrainians after shelling and also family reunions. The UNDP estimates that nearly 15 million Ukrainians are impacted by landmines and other explosive ordnance. It's estimated now that 30 per cent of this very large nation has been contaminated with landmines, which, to put it in perspective, is half the size of Japan or Italy.

While Ukrainian explosive ordnance disposal and combat engineer personnel are very capable, there are simply not enough of them to meet the competing demands of combat operational support and humanitarian mine clearance. The humanitarian assistance is also very ably assisted, as Senator Fawcett has said, through organisations such as the UNDP and the Halo Trust.

There are two types of mine action responses desperately needed to be supported in Ukraine. Firstly, there's combat or operational de-mining or mine clearance, which is conducted by uniformed service personnel within the combat zone itself. Secondly, there is humanitarian mine action, which covers surveys, clearances, risk education for civilians and victim assistance. And here in Australia we can provide both. We are incredibly—sadly—experienced in both.

Australia also is home to specialist technologies and businesses, such as Minelab and Gap Explosive Ordnance Detection, that are already supporting the Ukrainian humanitarian mine action, but so much more could be done. We have extensive military and civilian experience in humanitarian mine action and combat de-mining. The ADF has supported, for many years, de-mining efforts in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Cambodia and Mozambique, and many of our retired, highly-trained ex-ADF personnel have continued to support and often lead these missions around the world.

I firmly believe, and this was in my proposal, that Australia should be providing a skilled training team to deliver basic counter-explosive hazards, high-risk engineer search and explosive ordnance disposal training to Ukrainian armed forces. I propose that this could and should be conducted as part of the third rotation of Operation Kudu, which is training delivered in the United Kingdom. We have the capacity, we have the experience, we have the materiel and we have the equipment to do this and provide this support tomorrow.

The ambassador did write last month to the Defence minister, Richard Marles, asking for practical de-mining assistance that had been outlined in this paper. But a month later he still has not heard back, and neither have I. In that spirit of bipartisanship it is time for the government to start acting and supporting practical, meaningful things that can save so many lives in Ukraine and work in conjunction with so many other nations. So the time is now for the Labor government to act, for them to have a look at the proposal and tell us what they're going to do in conjunction with everything else my colleagues have talked about today.

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time allotted for this debate has expired. The question is that the motion moved by me be agreed to.

Question agreed to.