On election day, sitting Labor MPs that have formed part of the government will try to win votes by providing UN resolutions they supported and speeches they made. What we need to ask is how they will vote on this Bills package, writes Rita Jabri Markwell.
In Australia, Parliament is preparing to debate proposals that include divesting from illegal settlements and revoking military exports in accordance with international law and the ICJ’s rulings.
On 28 November 2024, the Genocide Risk Reporting Bill, Treasury Laws Amendment (Divesting from Illegal Israeli Settlements) Bill and Defence Trade Control Amendment (War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, Genocide) Bill were introduced into the Australian Senate by Senators Fatima Payman and Lidia Thorpe.
The proposals would also force defence companies and the Australian government to report genocide risk in their supply chains.
Stopping a harm in our control
This is especially important as in the past year or so, $20 billion of Australian taxpayer money has been announced for companies on a UN blacklist for their role in Gaza atrocities. That doesn’t include the billion dollars for Israeli weapons company Elbit systems or the skyrocketing investments in Elbit and Bae Systems (a blacklisted company) by Australia’s Future Fund.
The Australian Minister for Defence Industry announced in 2024 the government’s intention to make Australia the largest manufacturer of US weapons outside the US, a country that openly defies international law.
Already we supply $5 billion in military exports to US and UK, which our government deliberately removed checks on this past year during the genocide, in the name of strengthening AUKUS.
This new bill package addresses this by putting red lines into law and putting integrity back into our government.
Our test
Getting these laws passed won’t happen quickly, but it is essential if we want to stop arming and funding US sponsored atrocities and occupation. Currently there are no red lines, and things will only get worse with AUKUS if we shy away from this test.
The Australian media won’t bring much focus to the Bills so it depends on us to apply pressure on candidates. Consider asking them: will you vote for an inquiry into these Bills, and will you support these red lines going into law?
If Labor calls the election before they are debated and the Bills need to be reintroduced, as a politically engaged community we can push for that to happen. The question must be asked again and again until most of Australia knows both the question and the answer.
Here are the Bills:
1.Defence Trade Control Amendment (War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, Genocide) Bill
2. Genocide Risk Reporting Bill
3. Treasury Laws Amendment (Divesting from Illegal Israeli Settlements) Bill
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