Afghanistan Conflict

Senator Bob Brown press conference - November 9, 2011

Greencast | Spokesperson Bob Brown
Wednesday 9th November 2011, 4:16pm
in

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown spoke to reporters in Canberra today to wish the soldiers wounded in Afghanistan a speedy recovery and to call for all Australian troops to be brought home safely.

Senator Brown also answered questions about the passage yesterday of the climate bills, the proposed mining tax, and the activities of Malaysian logging company Ta Ann.

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Senator Bob Brown press conference - November 9, 2011

Greencast | Spokesperson Bob Brown
Wednesday 9th November 2011, 4:00pm
in

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown spoke to reporters in Canberra today to wish the soldiers wounded in Afghanistan a speedy recovery and to call for all Australian troops to be brought home safely.

Senator Brown also answered questions about the passage yesterday of the climate bills, the proposed mining tax, and the activities of Malaysian logging company Ta Ann.

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Bring Australian soldiers home safely from Afghanistan

Media Release | Spokesperson Bob Brown
Wednesday 9th November 2011, 1:59pm
in

Greens Leader Bob Brown today joined all Australians in wishing the injured soldiers a speedy recovery and urged the Gillard government to bring Australian troops home safely from Afghanistan.


"Unlike the Government or the Opposition, the Greens continue to call for Australian Defence Force personnel in Afghanistan to be brought home safely as soon as possible. A debate will be held in both houses of parliament on 21 November and we will be strongly putting that point of view," Senator Brown said.


"The Greens propose increased civil aid for Afghanistan to help the people determine their own future," Senator Brown said.


Some 32 Australian soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001 - 11 of those this year - and 212 Australian soldiers have now been physically wounded. Many will suffer long-term mental health issues that require support from their family, friends and communities.


"We should give our courageous defence force personnel a date to work towards, a specified withdrawal date, at the very least," Senator Brown said.


"The toll is not only rising but accelerating. And to what end? What will be different in 2014 or 2020 and how does a corrupt regime like the Karzai government maintain the faith of an increasingly armed and enlarged Afghan army?"


 


 

Afghanistan Morgan Poll

Media Release | Spokesperson Bob Brown
Friday 4th November 2011, 8:30pm
in

 

Citing this afternoon's Morgan poll showing 72% (up an astonishing 32%) of Australians want our troops brought home, Senator Brown said,

"It's a people's revolt against both major parties stance on Afghanistan.

Australian Soldiers Wounded in Afghanistan

Question | Spokesperson Scott Ludlam
Friday 4th November 2011, 4:26pm
in

QUESTION No. 844

Senator Ludlam asked the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 25 July 2011.

Senator Ludlam: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for Defence-Can the department:
(1) Confirm its statement that a total of 182 Australian soldiers deployed to Afghanistan have been wounded.
(2) Confirm that the Department of Veterans' Affairs has accepted 2200 claims from wounded and injured soldiers, compensating 920 of them.
(3) Confirm whether or not it was aware of the number of injured and wounded soldiers who have received compensation from the Department of Veterans' Affairs, prior to them being published in an article which appeared in the West Australian newspaper on 16 July 2011.
(4) Explain the discrepancy in numbers of wounded Australian soldiers publicly stated, compared with the number of:
(a) wounded soldiers compensated by the Department of Veterans' Affairs; and
(b) injured soldiers compensated by the Department of Veterans' Affairs.
(5) Disclose the number of soldiers who were wounded or injured in Afghanistan who are currently still serving in the Defence system.
(6) Disclose the number of wounded and injured soldiers whose claims for assistance have been made through Centrelink.
(7) Provide a detailed breakdown of the types of wounds and injuries sustained by soldiers in Afghanistan who have received compensation through the Department Veterans' Affairs.
(8) Provide a detailed listing of the types of treatment and support offered to wounded soldiers returning from Afghanistan.
(9) Explain why it does not yet centrally collect and analyse injuries suffered by soldiers on deployments (including injuries lodged with the Department of Veterans' Affairs,) despite having said it would move to do this back in 2004.

Senator Evans - The Minister for Defence has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

I am advised as follows:

(1) Defence can confirm that 182 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel have been wounded as at 4 August 2011 as a result of combat action. As at 12 October 11, the number is 201.

(2) As at 30 June 2011, the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) has accepted approximately 2200 claims for injuries and diseases which have been wholly or partially attributed to Afghanistan service under the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA); the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRCA); and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004(MRCA). These claims relate to around 920 individuals who have had one or more claims accepted.

Mr Julian Assange

Motion | Spokesperson Scott Ludlam
Thursday 3rd November 2011, 1:11pm
in

Senator LUDLAM: I move:
That the Senate-
(a) notes that the High Court in London will bring down its decision on Wednesday, 2 November 2011 regarding Sweden's request to extradite Mr Julian Assange; and
(b) calls on the Government to ensure that:
(i) the consular and legal rights of all Australian citizens overseas are fully protected, and
(ii) if extradited to Sweden for questioning, Mr Assange not be subject to further extradition from Sweden to the United States of America under a bilateral agreement to which Australia is not party.

On the war in Afghanistan. Senator Scott Ludlam

Blog Post | Blog of Scott Ludlam
Tuesday 1st November 2011, 3:17pm
by GiovanniTorre in

Senator LUDLAM (Western Australia) (October 31st, 17:04):


I rise to add my condolences to those of my colleagues on all sides of the chamber concerning the horror that occurred on the weekend and to pay my respects to the three fallen Australians whose sacrifice is appreciated by all of us. Also to the Afghan interpreter, who was killed, and the many who were terribly injured, our thoughts are with them and their families. It is worth noting in passing, with a sense of sadness, that we do not speak to the names of each of Australia's fallen troops now because there are so many. We stand in silence in acknowledgement of their sacrifice but simply do not have time as a parliament to speak to them all as we used to-32 in a decade and a third of them fallen in only the last 12 months. If there has been such progress, if things look as wonderful on the ground as Senator Feeney has been describing, it appears that the violence that our troops have been exposed to is only getting worse.

Labor, Libs say setting Afghanistan withdrawal debate ‘not urgent’

Media Release | Spokesperson Bob Brown
Monday 31st October 2011, 8:18pm
in

In a remarkable Senate vote, the Government and the Opposition have voted down a Greens motion:


That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency:
The pressing need for Australia to confirm a date for the safe return of Australian troops from Afghanistan.


"The Opposition provided one speaker, defence spokesperson David Johnston, who spoke for less than three minutes in the one-hour debate. All sides expressed condolences for the family and friends of the three Australian soldiers killed on Saturday," Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.


"The Senate has voted that while issues such as Paid Parental Leave (16 March 2010), Climate Change (22 November 2010) and Indigenous Health Services (18 November 2009) are urgent or important, setting a date for our troops to come home is not!"


"I doubt that this Parliament has ever debated less, and so neglected its responsibilities, to troops serving in a war on behalf of this nation," Senator Brown said.


 

Condolence Speech on recent deaths in Afghanistan

Speech | Spokesperson Scott Ludlam
Monday 31st October 2011, 7:43pm
in


Senator LUDLAM (Western Australia) (17:04): I rise to add my condolences to those of my colleagues on all sides of the chamber concerning the horror that occurred on the weekend and to pay my respects to the three fallen Australians whose sacrifice is appreciated by all of us. Also to the Afghan interpreter, who was killed, and the many who were terribly injured, our thoughts are with them and their families. It is worth noting in passing, with a sense of sadness, that we do not speak to the names of each of Australia's fallen troops now because there are so many. We stand in silence in acknowledgement of their sacrifice but simply do not have time as a parliament to speak to them all as we used to-32 in a decade and a third of them fallen in only the last 12 months. If there has been such progress, if things look as wonderful on the ground as Senator Feeney has been describing, it appears that the violence that our troops have been exposed to is only getting worse.

Bob Brown comments on Afghanistan, Qantas at Senate doors

Greencast | Spokesperson Bob Brown
Monday 31st October 2011, 8:46am
in

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown spoke to reporters in Canberra today about his move to call for a debate on the withdrawal of Australian troops and also commented on Qantas after the heavy handed action by chief executive Alan Joyce at the weekend.

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