Michelle Higelin, Executive Director at ActionAid Australia, said:
“It’s appalling that Labor has moved so quickly to block an inquiry into the Red Lines bill, which is an important step that would allow Parliament to scrutinise the bill and judge it on its merits.”
“This is about the Australian Government putting its own commitments into action. Australia has a responsibility under international law to prevent genocide, ethnic cleansing and other atrocities, but none of that means anything unless it takes the crucial step of aligning our domestic laws with these commitments, to remove the loopholes and make sure that successive Australian governments are held to this standard.”
“Australia’s domestic laws need urgent reform, and we’ve seen what happens when we don’t close the loopholes – we have situations where parts for F-35 fighter jets can be manufactured in Australia, and end up being used in a genocide against the Palestinian people.”
[ENDS]
Contact
Stephanie Wulf, Senior Communications Manager, ActionAid Australia
+61 (0)456 952 836