Speeches

GREENS MISINFORMATION ON WEAPONS EXPORTS

June 07, 2024

There is misinformation regarding who has contracted who has contracted with Elbit. The Commonwealth has a contract with Hanwha Defence Australia to build infantry fighting vehicles in Australia. Hanwha Defence Australia has contracted to Elbit to build the turrets of those vehicles in Australia without the Commonwealth being a party to that contract. These vehicles are being built in Australia for use by the Australian Army. Any suggestion that we are exporting weapons or ammunition to Israel is false. Defence has confirmed Australia has not supplied—

Honourable members interjecting

The SPEAKER: The member for Cunningham is warned. The member for Richmond will cease interjecting.

Mr CONROY: weapons or ammunition to Israel since the Hamas-Israel conflict began and for at least the past five years. Defence export permits that were issued were for items other than weapons and ammunition such as dual-use technologies and components of ADF equipment being repaired.

As the conflict has evolved, the government is approving export permits only for items for Australian defence and law enforcement that will return to Australia. The recent data published by DFAT referring to the export of $1.5 million in arms and ammunition to Israel in February refers to the export of a single item for the Australian Defence Force that will return to Australia, disproving the misinformation being peddled by the Greens. The misinformation being peddled by the Greens political party continues to divide our community and attacks the 100,000 Australians working in the defence industry—

Mr Chandler-Mather interjecting—

The SPEAKER: The member for Griffith will cease interjecting.

Mr CONROY: all for short-term political advantage.

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