August 6, 2024
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been slammed over Labor’s decision to lift the ban on funding to UNRWA after nine of its staff were linked with Hamas’ October 7 attacks.
A report from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s Commissioner-General on Monday confirmed there was sufficient evidence the staff were likely involved in Hamas’ attack on Israel.
The findings followed an investigation by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) into shocking allegations at least a dozen employees had links to the October 7 terror incident.
Despite temporarily halting its funding to UNRWA during the investigation, the federal government restored the funding only two months later despite the probe into the claims not having been completed.
Shadow home affairs minister James Paterson on Tuesday slammed the Labor government, saying the Prime Minister has “nowhere to hide” after his decision to restore the funding.
“He was warned that his decision to increase funding for UNRWA while it was under investigation for its employees being complicit in the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the end of the Holocaust, was a massive risk,” Senator Paterson told Sky News host Peta Credlin.
“He was warned that Australian taxpayer dollars could ultimately go to an organisation that employs terrorists, and we begged him not to resume that funding because of this risk."
The Liberal Senator said after ignoring advice, both Mr Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong were “complicit” in funding an organisation which has itself "admitted it employed at least nine people who participated in the 7th October atrocities”.
Mr Paterson said in light of the findings, Australia needs to “run a very fine comb over every dollar” of foreign aid which is sent to the region.
“It is unconscionable, the idea that a single cent of Australian taxpayers' money would ultimately find its way into the hands of terrorists.”
Earlier on Tuesday Opposition Leader Peter Dutton criticised the Albanese government's "bad judgement” and called for Labor to reconsider its involvement and funding of UNRWA.
"It’s completely and utterly unacceptable that a UN agency would have employees involved in, or alleged to have been involved in, the October 7 tragedy," he told Sky News Australia.
"It’d like to see more information, I think as most Australians would, because Australian taxpayers’ dollars are being given to these organisations with an understanding that they’re going to provide aid and support to people who are in need.
"And if that turns out not to be the case, then I think the really think the government has a lot to answer to here."
In February Mr Dutton called for Labor not to restart the funding as the possibility was floated by the Foreign Minister.
The report into the OIOS findings has been classified as “strictly confidential” and will not be published but may be made available to UN member states.
The shocking development has cast a shadow over funding for UNRWA as donors have been invited to review the report at UN headquarters.
UNRWA had received more than AU$2 billion in 2023 from government partners including the United States, European Union and Australia.
