Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move a motion relating to Israel's inherent right to self-defence, whether attacked by Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran or any other sponsor of terrorism.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Leave has not been denied. I understand that the government hasn't seen the motion.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have leave?

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

Well, the leave isn't granted. I'm just looking at you, Senator Birmingham, to see if you're moving a motion to suspend or you're—

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If leave is not granted, noting that the motion has been circulated—

Honourable senators: No; it hasn't!

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

Order!

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pursuant to contingent notice standing in my name, I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion to give precedence to a motion relating to the right of Israel to self-defence.

This is a motion that gives the Senate the opportunity to reaffirm Israel's inherent right to self-defence, whether attacked by Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran or any other sponsor of terrorism. I bring this motion because it is important for the Senate to make clear its position again. We can go back to the bipartisan motion passed by this parliament on 16 October, a bipartisan motion in which the parliament was clear, through the Labor Party, the Liberal Party, the National Party and Independents—not the Australian Greens, I note—that Israel has an inherent right to self-defence. That inherent right to self-defence was not qualified that it only related to attacks from Hamas, but indeed, like any sovereign nation, particularly like any democratic friend and partner of ours, it should be respected as a right to self-defence whenever under attack from any terrorist organisation or any other nation. Whether it's Hamas, whether it's Hezbollah or whether it's Iran, the same principles should apply in the right to self-defence.

We bring this forward because of the extraordinary reports that suggest that the Albanese government has changed its position and has walked away from a clear-cut support of Israel's right to self-defence and qualified that in relation to attacks from Hezbollah. Let us remember that this is the Labor Party who went to the last election promising Australia's Jewish communities, promising Australians and promising partners around the world that there was no division between the major parties in relation to Australia's support for Israel and that it was not conditional upon who won the election. That is what this government said, and yet, time and again since, they have been seen to change Australia's position.

They have changed Australia's longstanding bipartisan position in relation to recognition of Palestinian statehood, a position that had previously been clear of support for a two-state solution that should only occur as a part of a final settlement of a two-state solution in which each state lives in peace and security within internationally recognised borders. They have changed Australia's position in voting at the United Nations, voting explicitly for a UN motion recognising a state of Palestine and calling for it to be admitted as a member of the UN in direct contradiction to the longstanding bipartisan position of Australia. They have unilaterally changed Australia's position in numerous ways and numerous UN votes over their two years in office.

But then, remarkably, these acts have continued and indeed escalated in pace since October 7. Let us never forget that October 7 saw the single largest murdering and slaughtering of Jews in the world on a single day since the Holocaust. And it has been a tragedy. It was a tragedy then, and it's been a tragedy every day since then—the deaths that have occurred, innocent deaths, innocent lives, innocent Jewish citizens, innocent Israeli citizens and innocent Palestinians—

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's right.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

who are used and abused as human shields by Hamas, who hide amongst them, hide hostages amongst them—

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's right.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

hide weapons amongst them—

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's right.

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

Senator McKenzie!

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and hide terrorist capabilities amongst them.

And Hezbollah are no better. Hezbollah act in defiance and objection of international agreements in relation to keeping their distance from the Israeli border and northern Israel. Hezbollah continually fire rockets into Israel intended to kill Israelis, and they have driven tens of thousands from their homes through the use of those rockets. And that is why it matters to be clear and consistent about Israel's inherent right to self-defence. If this were Australia, there would be no tolerance of terrorist organisations like Hamas or Hezbollah attacking our territory, attacking our people, threatening the lives of Australians and driving them from their homes. Nor should there be any tolerance of it when it comes to Israel and their rights, and that is why we stand clear and invite the Labor Party to hold up its position as previously articulated.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think we all understand why Senator Birmingham is doing this. This is not a domestic political fight. We stand for both Israel and Palestine. We believe in a two-state solution, and we do not believe that the sort of domestic politics that you are playing is any better than the sort of domestic politics we've seen from the Australian Greens. I will seek leave to move an amendment to the motion to add the words 'and the recognition of the state of Palestine as part of a peace process in support of a two-state solution and a just and enduring peace'.

Yes, we do affirm, as I have previously, that all states, including the State of Israel, have an inherent right to self-defence.

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

I just remind you: you will be foreshadowing the motion.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes. We do believe that. I have also said from the start that that right is not absolute. Every state has limitations on that right, as is expressed in international law. Even in war there are rules. That is our principal position.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But only one side is playing by the rules.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No! I will take that interjection. We are democracies—

Honourable senators interjecting—

We are democracies—Israel is a democracy—and we hold ourselves to higher standards than do terrorist entities.

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

Order! Minister Wong, please resume your seat. I remind the chamber that just a few minutes ago I had to stand to get order in this place. I have never had to do that before, and, Senator McKenzie, it was partly because of your constant, rude and disrespectful interjections. When Senator Birmingham was on his feet, the chamber listened in respectful silence, and the minute Senator Wong got to her feet, suddenly there were lots of interjections, primarily from you. You will listen in silence, or you can choose to leave the chamber. Minister Wong, please continue.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We should be unashamedly working for peace, not working for domestic political advantage or tactical advantage in the chamber or to put pressure on one or other side. There are 40,000 people who have lost their lives in this conflict. We have seen the greatest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust. And there are people in this chamber who want to play domestic politics with it. I think it is abominable—I really do—and I think Australians out there want us to work for peace.

Now, we may have different views about where moral weight lies. There are different views in this chamber, but what I would say to you is that we should all be advocating for peace, and that requires a two-state solution. That is what it requires. There is no peace without progress on two states. That is, I think, demonstrably true given what we have seen over decades and what we see now.

What I say here is the same message that I say to every party with whom I deal. I don't have one message for one group and another message for another group. So I would hope that this Senate could show some maturity. There are people who have different views. We have heard them in the chamber. We have seen them in the chamber. When I seek to speak, I speak on behalf of Australia, not on behalf of any country or group. That is what I seek to do, and that is what my colleagues seek to do.

We should be arguing for ceasefire and for the return of hostages. We should be arguing always for international law to be observed. We should be arguing for de-escalation. We should not be seeking to escalate the conflict overseas or here by our rhetoric and by our action, and too many in this place have been seeking to do that. So I foreshadow that I will move an amendment, and I indicate that the government will support the suspension to enable this matter to be voted on, and I now move:

That the question be now put.

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

The question is that the question be put.

Question agreed to.

The question is that the suspension as moved by Senator Birmingham be agreed to

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Now that standing orders have been suspended, I move:

That a motion relating to the right of Israel to self-defence may be moved immediately and have precedence over all other business till determined.

Question agreed to.