Middle East

Lidia Thorpe

I seek leave to move a motion relating to genocide as circulated.

Leave not granted.

Pursuant to contingent notice of motion standing in my name, I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion to give precedence to a motion relating to genocide.

I'm proposing the suspension of standing orders today because last week marked three years of Israel's genocide against the Palestinian people. This means three years of relentless, intentional killing, destruction and displacement; three years of Israel using starvation as a tool for genocide; and three years of this country doing nothing to stop this genocide. I seek to suspend standing orders to move this important motion to call out the continued inaction of the Labor government in the face of a genocide broadcast live to the world. Under the genocide convention, which this country is signed up to, it is our obligation to punish and prevent the crime of genocide and to act to stop it wherever it occurs. There is no excuse. It is clear that what Israel is doing constitutes genocide.

In September last year, the United Nations independent international commission of inquiry concluded that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and called on all states to fulfil their legal obligations to prevent—

Sue Lines

Senator Thorpe, I remind you: this is about a suspension motion, not about the motion you've put. We've now moved on.

Lidia Thorpe

It's an urgent motion because Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and the commission has called on all states to fulfil their legal obligations to prevent genocide and end their complicity.

This is an urgent motion because this country is just failing to act in the face of genocide. It is actively complicit in it. It continues to supply weapons parts. That's why this motion is urgent. This government is supplying weapons to Israel to commit genocide—that's why this motion is very, very urgent—and not only weapons but fuel and military intelligence to support Israel. That's why this motion is urgent—because this country maintains trade and diplomatic relationships with Israel. That's why it's urgent. There could be no more urgent reason to suspend standing orders today, and every other day, than to act in line with our most fundamental human rights obligation: to prevent and stop genocide.

We cannot keep going with business as usual. That's why this is urgent. Every minute we don't act could mean the life of another Palestinian is lost. Israel's intent was clear from the beginning. That's why this motion is urgent—because, when Israel announced on 9 October 2023 that no food, water or humanitarian aid were allowed to enter Gaza, it started one of the largest starvation campaigns in the world. That's why this motion is urgent. Within a short time 2.3 million Gazans were starving. That's why this motion is urgent. Never has the world seen such starvation so quickly. People were starving to death in a world of abundance, in a world where supposedly a rules based order exists. Has everyone just given up on that order? That's why this motion is urgent. What if it happened here?

Letting Israel get away with breaking all international law is why this motion is urgent, and they are breaking the most basic rules of humanity, in the 21st century, without consequence. That's why it's urgent. It sets a dangerous precedent and makes this world a scary place for all of us—even you, President. We need to suspend standing orders today, urgently, because there is no more important issue to act on than genocide and to prevent the destruction of life. There is no excuse of not being able to apply sanctions when this country has sanctioned other countries such as Russia. That's why this motion is urgent. There is no excuse for the Albanese government's inaction at all. (Time expired)

Katy Gallagher

I move:

That the question be now put.

Sue Lines

The question is the motion as moved by Minister Gallagher be agreed to.