July 18, 2024
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PETA CREDLIN: Let's now move to the revelations that the Albanese government might be forced to apologise to the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Now, you will recall the Israeli drone strike that killed the Australian aid worker several months ago in the furore that followed. We've learned today that former Defence Chief Mark Binskin, who was commissioned by the government to investigate the strike, is set to release a report that will largely back Israel's official response to the tragedy. For more of this, let's bring in now our Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson. Well, Senator, welcome. I mean, if this report is, as we're led to believe, a vindication of the IDF, surely our Prime Minister owes the Israeli government an apology.
JAMES PATERSON: Peta, I think that's essentially right. When the Prime Minister announced the Binskin inquiry, he made two claims effectively. One is, Israel cannot be trusted to conduct its own investigation, so much so that we're going to have to appoint our own investigator. And two, that Israel might try and obstruct that investigation, which is why he had to personally demand to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we get access and then disclosed that publicly. Now, both of those things appear to be contradicted by that report. It appears to agree with the IDF's assessment about its own failings that caused this tragedy, and it appears it has been allowed to occurred without any obstruction. And so those two pretty grievous attacks on a friend and ally the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister made have blown up in the Prime Minister's face and I think he should apologise.
CREDLIN: What do you make of these worrying images revealed this morning by Tom Elliott on Radio 3AW that show a Hamas flag being flown in the Fitzroy Gardens here in Melbourne, and at the same time we've got an image of Lidia Thorpe wearing a Hamas style headband. I mean, this is a designated terror organisation. Where's the police response?
PATERSON: Well, exactly right, Peta. In December last year, the parliament unanimously passed amendments to the Criminal Code in hate symbols legislation which made an offence for the first time to publicly display either Nazi symbols or symbols of a listed terrorist organisation like Hamas. And included in that legislation was a provision that anything that resembles the logos or symbols of a terrorist organisation was also captured. So we have had now for many months on our streets Hamas logos and even the logos and memorabilia of the al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas, which is its militant wing, being sold on the streets of Melbourne at stores and worn publicly on those streets. So where have the police been? Where have the charges been? Now, some of these activists think they've been clever. They have redesigned the logo to say in Arabic, "I love chocolate milk" instead of saying the messages of Hamas. But as the legislation makes clear, and as I confirmed with the AFP in Senate estimates recently, that is no defence, that is captured by the resemblance provisions of the legislation, and they should be charged with these crimes.
CREDLIN: Well where's the minister, James Paterson? Are you going to pursue this when you're back in Canberra?
PATERSON: We sure will. Where is the Attorney-General? Where is the Minister for Home Affairs? Why hasn't the AFP taken the action that they should have under the law which is very clear? Because when a law is failed to be enforced, it becomes a joke and people are openly flouting this law. And it is designed, of course, this behaviour, to intimidate the Jewish community and I'm sorry to say, it's working. Jewish Victorians have told me they don't feel safe in our city on the weekends when they see, understandably, Hamas logos being displayed.
CREDLIN: I might mention the two Labor ministers you referred to there. The AG the Home Affairs Minister are both based in Melbourne, so this can't have escaped their knowledge. James, I know you've just come back from a security conference in the US. What do you make of all these revelations? We're getting more and more every day about the security breakdown that led to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump on the weekend and in particular, these scenes today from the RNC conference where angry U.S. senators confronted the head of the Secret Service. Have a listen.
[CLIP]
U.S. Senators: This is exactly what you were doing on the call.
U.S. Senators: Stonewalling!
U.S. Senators: This was an assassination attempt. You owe the people answers, you owe President Trump answers.
[CLIP ENDS]
CREDLIN: James Paterson?
PATERSON: Peta, there will be appropriate official inquiries in due course, of course, but it is already clear from what's on the public record that this was a major security failure. The failure to secure the area around the President and the failure to apprehend someone who was behaving suspiciously around the former President is extraordinary and worrying, because the consequences, had this shooter been more accurate, are almost unthinkable to contemplate for American democracy and for all of us who care about it. And so it is critical that the United States get on top of this, and the Secret Service get on top of this, as it is equally critical for us to make sure that we are better prepared to make sure that nothing like this ever happens in our country either, because we are not immune.
CREDLIN: Couldn't agree more. James Paterson, thank you.
ENDS
