Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave of the Senate to move my motion No. 474.

Leave granted.

I move:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, by no later than 10 am on 29 February 2024, the final report of the Afghanistan Inquiry Implementation Oversight Panel.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government will not be supporting this motion. The Albanese government is committed to implementing the recommendations of the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force's Afghanistan inquiry report to the fullest extent possible. It has long been held that it is for the executive government to release independent reports at the appropriate time.

The report of the independent implementation oversight panel dealt with in this motion has been handed to government and is currently under thorough consideration. These are sensitive matters that may have implications for criminal prosecutions related to war crimes, among other issues. The government will release the report and its response once that consideration is concluded.

The opposition has indicated to the government that it will be supporting Senator Roberts's motion, and requested but then did not make themselves available for a briefing on the report. This is not the behaviour of a responsible party of government, and the opposition should think carefully about the road it is walking down in this action.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that general business notice of motion No. 474 standing in the name of Senator Roberts be agreed to.