Danby calls the government an “unwitting facilitator” in aiding and abetting Iran
Member for Melbourne Ports Michael Danby has spoken to a parliamentary motion moved by Opposition Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Tanya Plibersek.
Michael Danby in parliament
Plibersek moved the motion “That this House calls on the Minister for Foreign Affairs to support a parliamentary debate during the current sitting on the Australian Government’s strategy in response to the crisis in Syria and Iraq.”
Michael Danby slammed the Foreign Minister’s recent changes to Australian policy on Iran. “Since the one-side nuclear deal with Iran, the Foreign Minister has re-imagined Iran as the region’s saviour”, he said.
Danby particularly criticised the Foreign Minister’s proposed intelligence sharing arrangement with Iran, as well as her apparent decision to allow Iran to open consulates in Sydney or Melbourne.
In April this year, during her visit to Iran, the Foreign Minister announced negotiations her intentions to negotiate an intelligence-sharing agreement with the Iranians. This was in support of Iranian-sponsored Iraqi militias fighting Daesh (IS) in Iraq. However, as Mr Danby informed the House, “Under autonomous sanctions in Australia, no one is allowed to provide either Iran or Syria with any, and I quote from the law, ‘technical advice, assistance or training … if it assists with, or is provided in relation to … a military activity…’ And, of course, Hezbollah, which was founded, and is funded, armed and trained by Iran, is proscribed by the Australian Parliament.”
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Michael Danby demanded that the Foreign Minister explain the legalities of Australian–Iranian intelligence sharing to Parliament.
As to opening consulates in Australia, Mr Danby said, “The Foreign Minister should google ‘Hezbollah, Iran and Argentina’. “Or Thailand. Or Lebanon. Or Singapore. Or Bulgaria. Or Egypt. Or Saudi Arabia. In all these cases, Hezbollah carried out, or attempted to carry out, terrorist attacks using the diplomatic cover provided by Iranian embassies and consulates to advance their shared poisonous ideology. Interpol has issued arrest warrants for senior Iranian officials. It is inimical to our national security to allow Iran to establish a network along those lines in Australia.”
Michael Danby concluded: “The Government has become an unwitting, incompetent facilitator, aiding and abetting the Iranian agenda. The Foreign Minister has been played for a fool and is clearly out of her depth.”
Danby told J-Wire: “Tanya Plibersek and I have insisted that Foreign Minister Julie Bishop come into the Parliament and debate the sudden pro-Iranian turn in Australia’s foreign policy in the Middle East.”
Danby’s campaign is being waged in the mainstream media.
Did Labor members again heckle Mr Danby with the epithet, “The Member for Likud”?
Did Ms Plibersek reiterate in an interjection her previously expressed view that “Israel is a rogue state”?
Did Bob Ashrawi object that this was yet another example of undue Jewish influence on Australia’s foreign policy?