Senator LUDLAM (Western Australia) (12.45 pm)-I rise to speak briefly on the suspension motion moved by Senator Brown on Afghanistan and commend it to the Senate.

Q7
ADF briefings to NGOs on Afghanistan, Hansard pp41-42

Senator Ludlam

Could Defence please check whether it has had any approaches from Australian NGOs working in Afghanistan for advice?

Response:

Defence is not aware of any formal approaches from NGOs for briefings on Afghanistan.

Use of DU munitions in Afghanistan, Hansard p40

Senator Ludlam

Have any of our coalition partners used Depleted Uranium munitions to Afghanistan at the time or since their deployment in the country?

Senator LUDLAM-I have a couple more questions on a couple of different subjects relating to operations  in Afghanistan. Chief, can you tell us your understanding of whether any of our coalition partners in Afghanistan are deploying, or have deployed since operations began there, depleted uranium munitions in Afghanistan?

Air Chief Marshal Houston-To my knowledge no, but I would like to take it on notice just to doublecheck.

Prime Minister Rudd and Foreign Minister Smith should speak out against the serious claims of election fraud and corruption against senior government figures in Afghanistan, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"With Australians risking their lives to maintain the government in Afghanistan, our government should be taking serious action to address these very severe revelations of corruption."

"Australia's involvement in Afghanistan should be debated by parliament, the human and financial cost of these operations cannot otherwise be justified."

The government and coalition have voted down a Greens' motion to debate the ongoing deployment of Australia's troops to Afghanistan.

The motion, by Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown, read:

Australian Greens Leader, Senator Bob Brown, has called for a parliamentary debate on Australia's continuing involvement in the war in Afghanistan.

The Greens have consistently maintained opposition to Australia's defence forces being deployed to Afghanistan, saying they should be retained for use within our region.

"We will always support Australia's defence force personnel in Afghanistan or wherever else they may be deployed by the government of the day," Senator Brown said.

Senator LUDLAM-I want to pick up there. Can we take it categorically then that defence has not been asked by the government to prepare any sort of evaluation of whether Australia could make a larger troop commitment to Afghanistan?

Air Chief Marshal Houston-No, we have not been asked.

Senator LUDLAM-Is it still the expectation that Dutch forces will be withdrawing from Afghanistan in the near future?

SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
DEFENCE PORTFOLIO

Senator LUDLAM-I would like to move to Afghanistan. According to the portfolio statements, the cost of the deployments to Afghanistan is around $53.1 million. Is that correct?

Air Chief Marshal Houston-I will get the Chief Finance Officer to handle all money questions.

Mr Prior-Senator, your question was?

Senator LUDLAM-The overall appropriation for Afghanistan and what that covers.

Mr Prior-What it covers or the quantum?