Senator JACINTA COLLINS (2:17 PM) —My question is to Senator Hill, the Minister for Defence and the Minister representing the Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs. In light of reports that the port of Umm Qasr is now in Anglo-American hands, is the minister aware that aid agencies are still unable to begin the delivery of food and other supplies until there is an environment free of combat operations and a reasonable expectation of security? Is this the reason that seven truckloads of food supplies from the Kuwaiti government which have reached Umm Qasr cannot be delivered immediately but have been handed over to the US troops now in control there? In light of the refusal of some agencies to send aid via the military—as this could make civilians targets and be seen as taking sides—what is Australia, as a member of the coalition, doing to ensure that needed aid can be delivered safely and quickly to areas now cited as under coalition control?

Senator HILL (Minister for Defence) —I have been indicating for the last few days a number of things that Australia is doing. One of the key things that our Defence Force has been doing has been to ensure that the waterway that leads to the port is clear of mines, to enable humanitarian aid to enter through the port. That is expected to be completed, hopefully, within the next few hours. The latest advice I have is that HMS Sir Galahad, the British support vessel, is likely to arrive in that port later this evening. That will be the first of a succession of ships delivering humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people. Over the weekend, we are hopeful that the two ships carrying Australian wheat purchased by the Australian people for the Iraqi people will also be able to berth.

Senator Mackay —It is about the distribution of what is there.

Senator HILL —The distribution in a war environment is not easy; nobody suggests that it is. But it is the wish not only of the coalition forces but of all the major humanitarian organisations that are on-site to see that it is distributed as effectively and efficiently as possible. I can go on and talk about other assistance, and the improvements in Basra in relation to humanitarian issues and the like, but we do not understate the difficulties of delivering this aid into such an unstable environment. We are doing our best to ensure that it can occur as quickly as possible.

Senator JACINTA COLLINS —Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I will give the minister an opportunity to speak further on Basra. Is the minister aware of reports that people inside the city of Basra remain in dire straits, with water and power supplies not yet restored, although the main water station is now under the control of British and American forces? Is the minister aware that the International Committee of the Red Cross, the ICRC, has said that, although its engineers had partially restored water supplies from the main pumping station that was damaged by the fighting, more work needs be done to ensure clean water for all? What is Australia doing to actively persuade our coalition partners to provide water to Basra residents before a real public health emergency arises and people start to die of disease?

Senator HILL (Minister for Defence) —My advice is that, whilst the situation in Basra remains extremely difficult, conditions do seem to be improving. Iraqi water engineers and staff of the ICRC have partially restarted Basra's main water pumping facility. The ICRC estimates that 50 per cent of the city's approximately 1.5 million inhabitants now have access to drinking water. The coalition forces have started to repair the water treatment plant near Basra. The pipeline, which provides 2.4 million litres of water per day to Umm Qasr, will be operational by 30 March. I do not seek to understate the challenges, but I think that an objective assessment would be that progress is being made despite the difficulties.