Page 25 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 12 February 1991
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I also, of course, fully support what Mr Kaine has said about the Australians serving in this conflict and their families. There is no doubt in my mind that those people take part out of a sense of duty. There is no doubt in my mind that their families and their friends suffer because of that sense of duty. So, of course, we all think of them.
I would like to say that I do not believe that anybody should be pleased about this war, and I do not believe that anyone in Federal Parliament is. I think that war is a last resort. It is something that is not entered into in any way lightly. I think it is worth bearing in mind that the vote in the American Congress about engaging in war was very close. There was far from unanimity on that question. I think we should bear in mind also the recent comments in regard to the war in the Persian Gulf made by the World Council of Churches - another body of people from all over the world; people who are of a spiritual bent perhaps and who are used to looking at questions in depth and from a humanitarian angle. I take a great deal of notice of what they have said on this subject and I certainly respect their views.
There is no doubt in my mind that many people in Australia are opposed to this war. We are hearing expressions of concern about it from all quarters. Those people are entitled to their view and they are entitled to put their view. In my own case I put such a view before Mr Hawke announced his commitment. I know that other people have continued to put that view; that war is too high a price to pay. That view must be tolerated; it should never be condemned. It is a fact that in a democracy people have every right to put that view.
Mr Speaker, I think that it is also worth making the point that the war in the Persian Gulf, while it is the only war Australia is currently engaged in, is far from the only war that is going on in the world. There are wars going on all over the world and they give rise all over the world to the same sets of problems. It is always those people least able to look after themselves in society or with least advantages in society who end up being even further disadvantaged by war in terms of poverty; in terms of failed crops; in terms of hunger and starvation and famine. It is the women and the children in those societies who ultimately bear the brunt of those wars.
So, whilst I support this positive statement that Mr Kaine has made, I do not think this is an occasion for us to be charging off supporting war, because I believe that there are a great many other considerations that are worthy of this Assembly's thought and worthy of our respect.
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