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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 4 Hansard (1 April) . . Page.. 1180 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

notwithstanding the hopes of many that something good can come out of the slaughter of tens of thousands of people. I fear that it is very difficult to argue that case.

I think our federal government has lost its humanity. But it is acting in our name, and that is what I find most troubling. My earliest memory of the Prime Minister, Mr Howard, was when he, as a young Liberal Party official, was hectoring conscientious objectors who were objecting to the Vietnam conflict. Mr Howard was arguing that these conscientious objectors should be sent to jail for two years. So I am not surprised, and I have never been surprised, by the way he has drawn us inexorably into this war which is not our war. He says, "Blame me."I will never forgive him because I think Mr Howard's actions in this matter are unforgivable. I think he is building just another straw man in saying that those of us who continue to protest against this war are in some way disloyal to our troops. This is a dishonesty which we ought not be confronted with.

I will continue to demonstrate against what is happening and I will continue to say the right place for those troops is home. I will not be swayed from that course by complaints that my pursuit of this aim is in some way dishonourable to, or in some way puts in danger, the troops who are overseas because it may affect their morale. I want them to know I want them to be safe, and the best place for them to be safe is here. I will continue to pursue that course.

I remain troubled about the future in Iraq and the surrounding countries. We all know that the involvement of the US in the affairs of those countries over many years has much to do with the tensions and conflict. Foreign policy has failed. The United States is a great and powerful country but I do not think we should be, if you like, foreign policy lickspittles to the United States because they are so big and powerful. We are entitled to have foreign policy of our own which is honourable and which is humane, and I think we have lost that aim in our sycophantic approach to the United States. And it has been done in my name, it has been done in our name, and that is why I am so troubled. I do not follow the same ideals as George Bush and I do not follow the same ideals as John Howard, so I will not stand idly by and, without complaint, ignore what is happening in Iraq.

At the end of the day, the military are the instrument of the government of the day. They are not free agents in conflict. They are, in many ways, the instrument of the people of the country to which they are loyal and for which they sign up to go into conflict. But I want them to understand that I and many of people who demonstrate in this country against this horrible war-and I take for granted that I can speak on their behalf-want them out of there, and the reason we want them out of there is because we want them to be safe. We do not want this conflict to be carried on in our name any more.

There is no end in sight for this conflict. Even after the belligerents, if you like, discontinue the confrontation in Iraq, this conflict will go on. (Extension of time granted.) I thank members for granting me an extension of time. It is not my practice to extend debates but I think this is an important one and I will take just a few more minutes.

One of the things that trouble me is the recent entry of suicide bombers into the war. That, to me and to most people around the world, is a sign of desperation. It will be said by many that suicide bombers come from countries other than Iraq and that they are

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