Tuesday, 17 March 2026

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (13:58): I want today to put on record my strong support for the United States and for Israel in the current fight in the Middle East against what is a terrorist regime in Tehran that has spread attacks across the world, including here in my own electorate in Victoria with their involvement in the Adass bombing – completely unacceptable – and with the Hezbollah, the Houthis and the Hamas groups that have been supported through the last decades by this terrorist regime. I say the United States and Israel are doing the right thing. They are trying to get the nuclear materials, and they are trying to deal with the missiles that are being produced in Iran. I do not pretend that this is an easy task, and I do not pretend that this is straightforward, but this regime has been causing trouble around the world for 40 to 50 years. Let us be clear about the length of time involved and the destruction and the enormous attacks on people who ought not to have been attacked. They are determined to eradicate Israel – that is what they are sworn to do. I cannot but feel, I might say, that Australia would be better supporting the United States in its endeavours openly and directly and with military or naval support as required. I think that we should be doing that. I believe that it is in our interests and it is in the interests of the world overall in the long term.