SENATOR CLAIRE CHANDLER

SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

LIBERAL SENATOR FOR TASMANIA

SENATOR JAMES PATERSON

SHADOW MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS 

SHADOW MINISTER FOR CYBER SECURITY

LIBERAL SENATOR FOR VICTORIA

It has now been over 90 days since the tabling of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Senate Committee report into violence in Iran, and the Australian Government is yet to provide a response to the report and its recommendations.

The Foreign Minister’s refusal to answer questions about Australia’s foreign policy response to a serious foreign interference attempt by the Islamic Republic of Iran is in direct contravention of the Home Affairs Minister’s public speech two days ago promising a “trusting, open and accountable conversation with the Australian public”.

Senator Claire Chandler, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs

Senator James Paterson, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security and Shadow Minister for Countering Foreign Interference

The Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee has today tabled its report into the human rights implications of recent violence in Iran, making 12 recommendations for action by the Australian Government.

The Coalition continues to call for tangible action by the Government in response to violence and human rights abuses in Iran.

A series of unanswered questions about Australia’s lack of action in response to violence against women and girls in Iran today in Senate Estimates will increase frustration in the community that Australia is lagging behind our allies in responding to the crisis.

Many Australians over the last six weeks will have learnt the name Mahsa Amini. Mahsa was just 22 years old when she died earlier in September following a violent arrest by Iran’s ‘morality police’.

I welcome the support from global world leaders past and present for Iran to be removed from the UN Commission on the Status of Women.