Subjects: Khaled Sharrouf; federal politics; Islamic State in South East Asia; Manus Island.
E&EO…………………………………………………………………………………………..
PETER DUTTON:
I'm aware of the reports, obviously, that Khaled Sharrouf has been killed. As the Government has said before, it's always very difficult to confirm these reports given that we're dealing with war zones in Syria and Iraq.
The point to make though is that no Australian would mourn the loss of Khaled Sharrouf. He's a terrorist, he sought to harm Australians and if he returned to our country he would be a significant threat to the Australian public.
So, nobody would mourn his loss and the fact is that if people make a decision to go to the Middle East or anywhere else to engage with ISIS in a fight against countries like ours, then frankly they deserve the outcome that perhaps has met Sharrouf.
But I don't have any confirmation in relation to that information at the moment.
JOURNALIST:
Would his children have deserved to die, if they died?
PETER DUTTON:
Well nobody would want to see Australian children die. Nobody would want to see any children die, but the fact is that Sharrouf and his wife took their children into a war zone and if they have been killed; well what other outcome would they expect.
They were obviously horrible people, atrocious parents and to take their children into that war zone – and you've seen the footage of the children, one holding up a severed head and the rest of it – who would expect any other outcome from parents and people obviously as evil as their father. Khaled Sharrouf is a person of extremely poor character and that's the reality.
As we know, there are many foreign fighters who have gone to Syria and Iraq and have been killed in the theatre of war and that is exactly the outcome that they can expect if they're over there fighting to try and kill people who are innocent.
The work of ISIS continues, they're still trying to indoctrinate young people here in Australia and this threat's not going away.
JOURNALIST:
Did Australia provide any intelligence that would have helped the US with this strike?
PETER DUTTON:
I don't have any comment to make in relation to that Andrew. Obviously we're working very closely with our allies in the Middle East, but in terms of targeting and priorities, I don't have any comment to make in relation to that.
JOURNALIST:
What about the three children, Sharrouf's other three children? They still are in Syria. Do we have responsibility for them? I mean they didn't choose to go there…
PETER DUTTON:
I don't have any advice in relation to any other family member.
JOURNALIST:
But would we try and get them out?
PETER DUTTON:
I just don't have any advice in relation to other members. I'm not sure who's in-country and who's not and I don't have that advice to provide to you.
JOURNALIST:
Has the Government received – just to be clear – have you received any advice from Coalition partners that this has not happened or it may have happened or it did happen? I'm just trying to clear up what advice you've actually received.
PETER DUTTON:
I'm not going to comment on the advice that we've received from Five Eyes partners or allies otherwise as you would expect.
JOURNALIST:
On the balance of probabilities, is Khaled Sharrouf dead?
PETER DUTTON:
I don't have any confirmation of it, but as I say, no Australian would mourn the killing of Khaled Sharrouf.
JOURNALIST:
Did you know that it was going to happen, this strike?
PETER DUTTON:
Well obviously there have been a number of reports before which have proved not to be accurate in terms of the likely death of Sharrouf – that's why I think it's prudent to wait for further information – but obviously we receive briefings and information in relation to activities and to the activities of our own efforts in the Middle East as well. We're an integral part in the intelligence that we supply, the support that we provide to our Five Eyes partners – the United States in particular – in the effort to defeat ISIL.
JOURNALIST:
So that would include photographic and DNA evidence?
PETER DUTTON:
Well, in terms of specific advice or support that we provide to them, I just don't have any comment to make.
JOURNALIST:
When will you know Minister?
PETER DUTTON:
Well as I say, the difficulty is that we're dealing with a war zone; so it is difficult. People say, 'well why can't you prosecute some of these people'. It is difficult of course to gather evidence in a war zone and certainly it's difficult to – given some of these strikes can be quite devastating in terms of their effect on the environment where the strike has taken place – so there will be all sorts of factors, obviously, that play into it, which is why I can't provide any further comment.
JOURNALIST:
Was it a targeted US air strike that dropped a single piece of ordinance? Can you confirm that?
PETER DUTTON:
Again, I don't have any comment to make in relation to that.
JOURNALIST:
Minister just on another issue, can you explain exactly how Labor has been guilty of treachery and are you concerned about the prospect of fighting a by-election in Mr Joyce's seat of New England?
PETER DUTTON:
I think what's demonstrated here is that Bill Shorten doesn't have the leadership or the guts that Malcolm Turnbull has demonstrated.
Malcolm Turnbull has dealt with this issue as soon as he was made aware of it in relation to Barnaby Joyce and Bill Shorten still has question marks that he's not able to answer. We're supposed to take the word of Mark Dreyfus, of all people, in terms of the inquiries that he's made and that that somehow satisfies him.
Now, there are still significant questions that many of you are asking about Labor Members of Parliament. That's really an issue for the Labor Party, and in particular for Mr Shorten, to comment on, but in terms of the New Zealand situation; it's very clear that the New Zealand Labour Party have made certain comments, they regretted certain actions – Bill Shorten thinks he's already in The Lodge – but I think the Australian public has a very different idea of that because they don't trust Bill Shorten and it's something you get as you move around the country on a daily basis.
JOURNALIST:
Do you agree with Ms Bishop that this is treachery?
PETER DUTTON:
Well in terms of Penny Wong, who I now understand has given some version of what happened and certainly some indication of apology, then I think those actions and those words speak for themselves in terms of their behaviour. But, you know, Penny Wong can answer for her own staff and for her own actions.
JOURNALIST:
I am asking you, do you support Julie Bishop's claim that this amounts to treachery? You don't seem prepared to do that. Is that because you think she has overreached…
PETER DUTTON:
…no, because I've made my comments in relation to Bill Shorten. I think the Prime Minister has canvassed this up hill and down dale and I just don't have anything further to say.
JOURNALIST:
This one is from left field; sorry. SBS has been told by several Venezuelan families that the tourist visas of their relatives have not been approved. Does your Department have any advice about not approving those visas?
PETER DUTTON:
No, I haven't got any advice in relation to that. I mean they may well be in relation to individuals or specific circumstances, but I'm happy to have a look at individual cases, but I don't have any in-country advice.
JOURNALIST:
Just briefly, the Government has just prescribed Islamic State in South Asia as a terrorist group. Is the Government aware of any Australians going to the Philippines or other parts of South East Asia to fight for this group?
PETER DUTTON:
We're obviously very closely involved with our partners in terms of what's happening in the Philippines and there are others, including the Foreign Minister and the Attorney, who can make further comment in relation to it.
But it is a significant concern for us, as people come back from the Middle East, as ISIL tries to extend its tentacles into Asia – particularly given the number of Australians who holiday either in the Philippines or Indonesia or elsewhere in South East Asia – there's a concern for all of us and it's why we're able to provide support to and be involved in some of the campaigns designed to destroy ISIL because we don't want Australians killed at the hands of ISIL operators, either here in Australia or overseas.
These operatives are dangerous people and there's a lot of work that we're doing to try and keep our region safe and that's what you would expect from a country like ours.
JOURNALIST:
Minister is there any credible information to suggest that Australians are travelling to places like the southern Philippines as foreign fighters or sending support?
PETER DUTTON:
Well again, it's just not something that we would comment on, but the Prime Minister has been very clear about it, other Ministers have been clear about it, the United States has been clear about it: there is a problem in the Philippines. There is work that we're doing with partners and that will continue because wherever it is across any of our allies, partner countries, within our region where Australians might be present – either holidaying or undertaking business – we are concerned about them travelling abroad and we are concerned about the threat here domestically as well and we saw that play out only a few weeks ago.
JOURNALIST:
Minister who's going to take over the provision of health and medical services on Manus Island once the Australian contracts end on October 31?
PETER DUTTON:
There'll be contracted arrangements entered into with providers and that information will be provided as it normally would be.
JOURNALIST:
Is it accurate that the current contractor, International Health and Medical Services doesn't know who it's going to hand over to in two months?
PETER DUTTON:
You would have to ask them. Thank you very much.
[ends]
