Senator Tim Ayres – opposing a Greens’ motion calling on the Government to end military trade with Israel

photo of Senator Tim Ayres
March 25, 2024

The proposition that is being advanced this morning by Senator Shoebridge so lacks honesty, so lacks seriousness and so lacks morality. It’s the petard upon which Senator Shoebridge hoists himself every day. If you’re going to be serious, if you’re going to have morality and if you’re going to have honesty, do you know what you have to do? You have to tell the truth. You have to have some regard for the facts. You have to have some moral seriousness about the position that you advance, and this political party has never been a serious partner for this government on the most serious international issues.

Senator AYRES (New South WalesAssistant Minister for Trade and Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) (10:31): The proposition that is being advanced this morning by Senator Shoebridge so lacks honesty, so lacks seriousness and so lacks morality. It’s the petard upon which Senator Shoebridge hoists himself every day. If you’re going to be serious, if you’re going to have morality and if you’re going to have honesty, do you know what you have to do? You have to tell the truth. You have to have some regard for the facts. You have to have some moral seriousness about the position that you advance, and this political party has never been a serious partner for this government on the most serious international issues.

This proposition that has been advanced is so shallow and so dishonest, and it is designed to achieve only one thing: to dishonestly stoke division in the Australian community. That is what it is for. That is why there are thousands of antisemitic memes being circulated in the Australian community. It’s because this show that purports to be a political party advances the kinds of propositions that they do. It’s not much better on the other side of the chamber, on the other side of the argument—advancing propositions that are extremist, that use hyperbole and that use words that are designed to divide.

One of the reasons that we know that this is the case in terms of the proposition that has been advanced is that the situation has been explained to Senator Shoebridge so many times by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in estimates and in here. Evidence has been provided by defence officials over and over and over again. If you just choose to ignore the facts and promulgate a false narrative on this story, all you are about is promoting division—

Senator Shoebridge interjecting

Senator AYRES: A little bit of shoosh from you down there, son—a little bit of shoosh.

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Allman-Payne ): Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Shoebridge, order! Minister.

Senator AYRES: It’s like a behavioural disorder, honestly! Unable to be quiet. We sat quietly while you—

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I suspect that procedural—thank you, and please remember to direct your remarks through the chair.

Senator AYRES: I want to reiterate, Chair, what the government has made clear all through this process. Australia has not supplied weapons to Israel since the conflict began and for at least the past five years. So why is—

Senator Steele-John interjecting

Senator Shoebridge: You’re a pathological liar!

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Shoebridge, it would assist the chamber if you could withdraw that remark.

Senator Shoebridge: I withdraw the remark.

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you.

Senator Urquhart: Point of order: I would also ask Senator Steele-John to withdraw the comment that he made, and I would ask them to cease interjecting. We listened to them and their contribution and I expect them to show the minister the same courtesy.

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Steele-John?

Senator Steele-John: I’m happy to withdraw for the facilitation of the chamber, but I’m not actually sure which comment you’re referring to.

Senator Urquhart interjecting

Senator Steele-John: Okay. I withdraw.

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Just before you begin, Minister, I am going to request that we listen to the minister in silence. Minister.

Senator AYRES: Australia has a stringent export control framework. It is designed to ensure that military and dual-use items that are exported from Australia are used responsibly. No arms have been supplied to Israel over the course of the last five years. The Deputy Prime Minister said, ‘Australia’s defence export control regime is one which is thorough and detailed as it applies to defence exports or dual-use items to anywhere in the world.’ This position that’s been advanced, once again, is not a serious position. It’s on that basis that I move:

That the question be now put.

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Allman-Payne ): The question before the chamber is that the motion be put.

Link to Parliamentary Hansard