Labor clashes with Greens over war export claims

A dispute about a $1 billion defence deal has escalated Labor’s angry clash with the Greens over misinformation about the war in Gaza, with the federal government rejecting claims it is exporting weapons or ammunition to Israel.

Labor rebuked the Greens after being asked in parliament to cancel a contract with Israeli company Elbit Systems, cited by the Greens as proof the Australian government was “complicit” in the slaughter of civilians in Gaza.

But the government said there was no Australian contract with Elbit Systems and the deal was with South Korean company Hanwha to build infantry fighting vehicles in Australia.

Hanwha has a subcontract with Elbit to add the gun turrets to the vehicles in Australia.

“Any suggestion that we are exporting weapons or ammunition to Israel is false,” Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said.

“Defence has confirmed that Australia has not supplied weapons or ammunition to Israel since the Hamas-Israel conflict began and for at least the last five years.”

The dispute over weapons came as Greens leader Adam Bandt threatened legal action against Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, while government MPs stepped up their concerns about activists who are vandalising their electorate offices.

In the latest attacks, a man in a black balaclava threw bricks through the window of the office of Labor MP and former ACTU president Ged Kearney in the Melbourne suburb of Preston on Tuesday night, in a moment captured by closed-circuit television.

In a separate incident, protesters holding Greens corflutes gathered outside the electorate office of Housing Minister Julie Collins in Hobart, also captured on CCTV.

Bandt said on Thursday that he did not condone violence or damage to property, rejecting claims by Dreyfus that he was encouraging criminal damage to electorate offices.

Greens leader Adam Bandt has threatened legal action against Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Dreyfus told the ABC on Wednesday: “The Greens political party and particularly the leader of the Greens political party have got something to answer for here in the way that they have been encouraging criminal damage of MPs’ electorate offices, encouraging really riotous behaviour, sometimes violent behaviour, that has been occurring outside electorate offices.”

Bandt said on Thursday: “My lawyers have written to the attorney-general regarding what I consider to be defamatory statements he made about me and the Greens yesterday.” Dreyfus has not responded to a letter from Bandt that threatened legal action under defamation law.

Labor MPs maintain, however, that the Greens are responsible for public comments that have encouraged the blockades at electorate offices and therefore disrupted constituents at the offices of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Dreyfus, Collins and backbenchers.

Albanese told parliament that the blockades prevented Australians from getting help with pensions and other matters, saying they were “antidemocratic by their very nature” because they stopped this part of the democratic process.

Kearney, who holds the electorate of Cooper in Melbourne, said she supported peaceful rallies but held the Greens responsible for supporting a separate protest in April that left some of her staff injured.

“It is a complete double standard to engage in and incite violent and aggressive protest and pretend you are doing something about peace,” Kearney said.

“I’m disappointed that the Greens have been involved in promoting something that included aggressive, sexist and intimidating behaviour toward my community.”

Bandt said on Thursday that Labor had supported the Israeli invasion of Gaza, was complicit in genocide, had supported the slaughter of civilians and had repeatedly refused to call for a permanent ceasefire.

Dreyfus has not responded to a letter from Bandt threateneding legal action under defamation law.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Albanese has not supported the invasion of Gaza. He joined Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon last December to call for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza. He issued another joint statement with them in February.

The government has not supported the slaughter of civilians. Federal ministers have regularly told parliament they deplore the deaths of Palestinians and Israelis in the conflict.

“Labor has refused repeatedly to call for a permanent ceasefire,” Bandt said on Thursday.

“What they have called for is a humanitarian ceasefire so that there is a pause so that people can be fed and then the bombing can start again.”

Australia abstained from a vote on a ceasefire at the United Nations in late October and then voted in favour of a humanitarian ceasefire in a vote on December 12. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said this should be a step towards a sustainable and permanent ceasefire.

In a statement this week, Wong called again for a ceasefire, endorsed a proposal from the United States to end the conflict and added: “This war must end.”

Wong first called for “steps towards a ceasefire” on November 12, drawing criticism from Jewish community leaders who backed the invasion of Gaza.

The dispute between the major parties and the Greens dominated question time on Wednesday when a shouting match broke out on the floor over the crossbench party’s support of pro-Palestinian activists.

On Thursday morning, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton told 2GB’s Ray Hadley that people needed to speak to their kids, grandkids and next-door neighbours about “how evil” the Greens were.

Dutton said Bandt was “unfit to be in public office”.

Asked about Dutton’s comments, Bandt said: “I will not be lectured to about peace and non-violence from a prime minister and opposition leader who back the invasion of Gaza and continue to do so right up to this day.”

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