ALP denies funding MPs’ study tour with anti-Israel group
Tony Burke is among some Labor MPs who went on a study tour to Palestine partially funded by a lobby group accusing Israel of genocide and opposing the designation of Hamas as terrorists.
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EXCLUSIVE
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is among a number of Labor MPs who went on a study tour to Palestine partially funded by a lobby group that has accused Israel of genocide and opposed the full designation of Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
The Australian Palestine Advocacy Network [APAN] also partially paid for Louise Pratt’s trip to Palestine just before the WA Labor Senator spoke at an APAN fringe event at the Australian Labor Party [ALP] annual conference in 2023.
And in APAN’s latest annual report, the lobby group said it had received $22,400 from “ALP” and $50,000 from “Union” to pay for study tours to Palestine.
Shadow Affairs Minister James Paterson called on Labor to be transparent about its financial relationship with APAN, which he said he was concerned was becoming “an increasingly extreme organisation”.
“Nasser Mashni, APAN’s president, has called for an end to the peace process and abandonment of a two-state solution, as well as opposing the listing of Hamas as a terrorist organisation,” he said.
“Labor must be upfront about their funding of APAN. What is the purpose of Labor’s payments to APAN? What was Labor’s money spent on? Were all relevant electoral laws complied with and disclosures made for these contributions?”
APAN has for days not responded to questions over the mysterious payment from “ALP” while the federal Australian Labor Party denied giving the lobby group any money.
“ALP National Secretariat has not made any financial contribution to the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network,” a Federal Labor spokesman said.
“We are not aware of any background to the statement in APAN’s annual report.”
Australian Council of Trade Unions [ACTU] president Michele O’Neil confirmed that the union’s humanitarian aid agency Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA toured Palestine with APAN in 2023 but did not confirm if the tour cost $50,000.
“Participants paid for their own places on the study tour and APHEDA funded one of its employees to take part as one of the study tour guides,” she said.
“The ACTU did not contribute any funding for the study tour.”
Mr Burke, along with Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs Julian Hill, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson and Special Envoy for the Arts Susan Templeman, went on the trip with APAN in November 2017.
The Labor politicians, then in opposition, paid for their flights while APAN paid for accommodation, ground transport costs and some meals.
Mr Burke, whose current portfolio of Home Affairs oversees national security, said the trip was his sole visit to the region and that he wanted to see the conflict on the ground.
“On the visit, I met with members of the Palestinian Authority and members of the Knesset,” he said.
“I met former members of the IDF, people who’d had their homes demolished in the middle of the night, and farmers who had their crops rot on the back of trucks at checkpoints.
“I also watched civilian Palestinians being tried before Israeli military courts.
“Too much of the debate in Australia is conducted through slogans and it was important to hear the perspectives of ordinary families in the West Bank.”
Mr Burke, as well as Mr Hill, Mr Wilson, Ms Templeman and Senator Pratt, declared the trip on their parliamentary register of interests.
Mr Hill has also travelled to Israel on a similar trip with the Australia Israel Jewish Affairs Council that was valued at $10,000.
Greens NSW Senator David Shoebridge has also travelled to Palestine but paid his own way, hence not needing to declare the trip on any register.
He said APAN organised “aspects of that trip and working so I could be on the ground, see the reality of the occupation, and meet with and hear directly from Palestinians and Israelis.”
APAN held a fringe event entitled “Palestine: Reality, recognition and rights” at the ALP national conference in Brisbane last year that featured Senator Pratt and Rail, Tram and Bus Union [RTBU] assistant national secretary Shayne Kummerfeld.
“In August 2023 APAN participated in the ALP National Conference, hosting a very successful fringe event which had parliamentary and union speakers who had just returned from our study tours,” said APAN in its latest annual report.
“We also printed hundreds of “Palestine: ItsTime” badges which delegates wore with pride during the conference.”
Senator Pratt said she met with the Israeli ambassador prior to her trip to Palestine with APAN and said she had previously been active at Labor conferences over the conflict in Palestine.
“The 2023 conference was no different,” she said. “However, visiting Palestine enabled me to reflect on the dire situation facing Palestinian people. I was able to verify with my own eyes the issues I had long heard from advocates about.”
Scrutiny over Jewish lobby groups taking journalists and politicians to Israel has increased over the war in the Middle East that has since October 7, 2023, claimed the lives of about 2000 Israelies and 43,000 Palestinians.
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