QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE › United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:25): I would say to— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Minister Wong, I'm sorry; resume your seat. Senators, there are very different opinions across this chamber on a range of matters. This is one. Senator Faruqi has the right to ask her question in silence, and the minister has the right to answer it in silence. Senator WONG: I would invite Senator Faruqi to perhaps consider what I said in the press conference on Thursday with the New Zealand foreign minister and defence ministers, where I went through precisely some of the facts to which she has averted. In an explanation amidst those who are attacking the government for our funding and support over many years, including under the previous government, of UNWRA, I reminded people why the Australian government now and previously has funded that organisation, and that is because it is the only entity which has been capable of delivering assistance into the Occupied Palestinian Territories. That is also why we increased the core funding. I'd invite you in your social media and public media to perhaps recognise that. I also made the point that 1.7 million people are internally displaced. I made the point that there are increasingly few safe places for Palestinians to go. I reminded people that there are one million at risk of starvation and 400,000 Palestinians in Gaza that are— (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator Faruqi, second supplementary?