David Norris (Independent)

The water has been pretty well muddied here. I will not press amendment No. 4 for the reasons that have been accepted by my colleagues, but I will press amendment No. 7. It simply states that the Defence Forces would be prohibited from participating in military operations with people who use cluster munitions, which are abhorrent. That does not preclude a rescue mission. There is a great difference between somebody coming to one's rescue and being involved in a military operation. For God's sake, even I can see that and I am not a military person. That is not an excuse. Senator Cummins, who is a most accommodating, decent and highly intelligent man, swallowed that, but I am sure that on reflection he will not accept it.

All Members of the House are determined to push for an outright ban on cluster munitions. I hope there will be further tidying up exercises because I understand section 30 of the Defence Act 1954 permits the Minister for Defence to lay landmines so there may be a bit of tidying up to do there. I am pressing the amendment because it is not acceptable that we accommodate those people.

I would not have gone near the United States with a 40 ft. barge pole. The regime that, thank God, is in its dying days in Washington is deeply criminal. It flouted every possible international, domestic, federal and human rights law. I would not have touched it and I am damn glad we were not involved in military operations to a greater extent with the United States. Thank God we did not get into Iraq. Can one imagine what that would have been like? I am pressing the amendment.