Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong. The country of Syria has been overthrown recently by terrorists formerly associated with ISIS and al-Qaeda. There are reports these terrorists are abusing and killing Christians and other minorities. In 2012, the then US Deputy Secretary of State Jake Sullivan sent an email to Hillary Clinton saying, 'Al-Qaeda is on our side in Syria.' In 2016, the Los Angeles Times reported that terrorists funded by the Pentagon are fighting terrorists funded by the CIA in Syria. Given the Australian government has previously condemned the Assad regime for its atrocities, why has it said nothing about the human rights abuses in Syria committed by the current regime, and is this because Australian foreign policy is controlled by deep state western intelligence agencies more interested in imperialism than in upholding human rights and democratic values?

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

Thank you for the question, Senator Rennick. In relation to the last assertion, I would reject that, and I would say to you that Australia always should and continues to support international law and human rights. Obviously, how we reflect that support varies. It may be by bilateral consultations, public statements, what we talk to people about privately or what we talk about publicly. Given who we are and the values and interests that Australia has, international law, including respect for human rights, matters to us.

You are correct that the Assad regime had form. Obviously, that ends decades of brutal oppression, and we hope it could be the end of what has been a horrific period for Syrians marred by conflict, division and displacement. I articulated previously, at the time of the overthrow of the Assad regime, a call on all parties to protect civilians, refrain from violence and prioritise dialogue. In relation to the organisation which was involved in the overthrow and is also part of the current Syrian regime, which is Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, I would say to you that Australia listed HTS as a terrorist organisation in 2022 due to concerns over its conduct. Obviously, we again would say it's critical that Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and other armed groups who are now in control protect all Syrian civilians. Like other partners, we will be watching the actions of HTS in the period ahead.

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

Senator Rennick, first supplementary?

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What does the Australian government have to say to Australian veterans who served and died for their country in Iraq and Afghanistan only to find out that they were fighting for imperialist organisations lying to them—firstly, about there being chemical weapons in Iraq; and, secondly, about al-Qaeda being the enemy in Afghanistan when al-Qaeda was funded by the same imperialist organisations?

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

(—) (): Well, it is true, certainly in relation to the assertion of weapons of mass destruction, that history has demonstrated the problematic nature of some of the decisions that were made by past governments. What I would say to all veterans is that we always stand with the men and women in the ADF who serve the government of the day, who engage in action overseas when asked to, who serve Australia bravely, and we always thank them for their service, regardless of whether or not at the time or subsequently people may have different views about the government's decisions at the time. We are very privileged and honoured in this country to have very fine men and women in the Australian Defence Force who demonstrate discipline, courage, determination, professionalism across the globe. (Time expired)

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

Senator Rennick, second supplementary?

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the minister please ask our intelligence agencies if the entire war on terror over the last two decades has been nothing but a Western intelligence PSYOP campaign designed to advance Western imperial interests in the Middle East? And does this campaign include Hamas, given the deep state has funded other Islamic terrorist organisations such as ISIS and Al Qaeda through programs such as Timber Sycamore?

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

Whatever your views, I don't think it would be correct to say that the threat of and the existence of terrorism is not something that Australian governments and governments across the globe have to deal with; it is the case. But what I would say to you is we have to deal with that, both by being very focused on national security matters, on making sure we work with and take the advice of agencies including our intelligence agencies but also our law enforcement agencies, and we also have to deal with some of the conflicts and misinformation which give rise to that sort of hateful ideology. I thank you for your interest in these matters, but, on some of these issues, I don't agree with how you are articulating some of the past history. On that note, I ask that further questions be placed on notice.