Senator BOB BROWN (Leader of the Australian Greens) (4:21 PM) —by leave—I appreciate Senator Faulkner’s statement. It is informative. Senator Nettle’s motion has come forward at a time in which there is international alarm about a possible pre-emptive strike on Iran to destroy its nuclear facilities. I might state here that the IAEA head, Mohamed ElBaradei, has said he would resign because that would effectively turn the Middle East into an incendiary. The matter is hugely important and it ought to be debated. I asked the question: how do the Greens or other concerned citizens raise this matter in here if it is not by motion? And how do we ask the government to seek information or to take action, if not through motion in this Senate? This does not ask some other government to do anything. It asks this government to take action and to state its position. Senator Faulkner did that in every way except whether Australia would support a strike or not.

I might note here that this government has decided to allow the export of Australian uranium to Russia, which has provided technology to Iran. It is a complex matter, but the government is directly and indirectly involved in international matters and ought to be restraining Israel, which last week held a mock exercise for an attack on Iran over the Mediterranean ocean. It is an extremely grave matter that is being debated here, and Senator Nettle had not only every right but also great responsibility to bring this motion before the Senate.