Qatar Airways strip search: Scott Morrison responds as incident worsens
The Prime Minister says he “shudders at the thought” of his own daughters being subjected to strip searches 13 Australian women went through at Doha Airport. In a statement, the Qatari government said it’s “committed” to travellers’ safety.
NSW
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison said thinking of his own daughters, he could “only shudder at the thought” that anyone would “subjected” to the treatment suffered by 13 Australian women pulled off a plane in Qatar and strip searched by authorities.
Mr Morrison said Australia had “conveyed very clearly” a strong message to the Qatari Government ahead of receiving their report on the incident.
“We have been given assurances by the Qatari government and we will be provided with the results of their investigation, it’s important we can look at that before making a further response,” he said.
“There is no doubt in the mind of whether its Qatari airlines or the government, about Australia’s strong objections and views about this and I think those views are shared, widely.”
Women on ten different planes were subjected to a strip search following the discovery of an abandoned baby, Australia has learned.
Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne has confirmed Australia became aware overnight there were at least 10 planes on the tarmac at Hamad International Airport in Doha on October 2, when Qatar officials ordered women into ambulances for an invasive medical search.
Only one plane, Qatar Airways flight QR908, was destined for Australia.
There were 18 women removed from the Sydney-bound plane, including 13 Australians.
One Australian was a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) officer who was not subjected to the search.
DFAT secretary Frances Adamson said only women who were considered “of child-bearing age” were “searched”.
“So women who are not of child-bearing age (were not searched) is my understanding … and that included my understanding, our staff member,” she said.
Ms Adamson said the DFAT staff member alerted Australian authorities to the strip-search before the plane had arrived in Sydney.
Dr Angela Macdonald who leads DFAT’s Middle East and Africa team said Australia was working with other countries impacted by the actions of the Qatari authorities through the embassy in Doha, but declined to name which ones.
Dr Macdonald said there were “two to three” other countries who had citizens on the Sydney-bound plane that Australia was now working with to co-ordinate a response in Qatar.
Labor Senator Penny Wong grilled Ms Payne for her response to the incident, questioning why the Foreign Minister had not directly spoken with her Qatari counterpart and instead relied on conversations with the Ambassador or between diplomatic staff in Doha.
“We worked through (DFAT) and through the Qatari Foreign Ministry,” Ms Payne.
“I did not speak to the Qatari Foreign Minister, I advised the head of mission in Doha that we would await the report because we had been given a commitment form the Qatari government that would be provided to us.”
Ms Adamson said there was a “very strong determination” from the Qatari side to report back on the incident “as quickly as possible”.
The Qatar Government says it regrets “any distress” or infringement on “personal freedoms” of travellers who were stripped searched in the hunt for the mother of baby abandoned in a Doha airport.
A statement from the Qatari Government’s communications office on Wednesday said the baby was found in a trash can, “concealed in a plastic bag and buried under garbage” in a terminal bathroom at the Hamad International Airport, describing it as an “egregious and life-threatening violation of the law”.
“While the aim of the urgently-decided search was to prevent the perpetrators of the horrible crime from escaping, The State of Qatar regrets any distress or infringement on the personal freedoms of any traveler caused by this action,” the statement said.
The communications office has also confirmed Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani had directed a “comprehensive, transparent investigation” into the incident.
“The results of the investigation will be shared with our international partners,” the statement said.
“The State of Qatar remains committed to ensuring the safety, security and comfort of all travelers transiting through the country.”
Meanwhile, transport union members are considering a boycott of Qatar Airways planes arriving in Sydney.
The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) NSW branch has announced it will consider industrial action to ban the servicing, cleaning or refuelling of Qatar Airways plans that land at Sydney Airport.
NSW state secretary of the TWU Richard Olsen said members were “angry” about the incident and wanted to see legal action against those responsible.
“TWU members have expressed their outrage and subsequently the TWU is calling on the Qatari Authorities to prosecute those responsible for the terrifying experience these women faced,” he said.
“Qatar and its airline must face up to the fact that there has been a violation of human rights. The TWU has taken on the airline in the past for their gross violation of labour rights. Qatar Airways have continued to ignore the international labour rights of their workforce.”
Mr Olsen said Qatar should fix the problem they have created, or they would face the “angry uproar” from union members in NSW.
Mr Olsen said “What these women were forced to go through at the hands of Qatari Authorities must be labelled for what it is, sexual assault,” he said.
“These women had no choice, they had no guidance as to what was happening, and they did not consent.”