Reprinted from Senator Whish Wilson MEDIA RELEASE 12 FEB 2019
DEFENCE AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
Greens Defence spokesperson, Peter Whish-Wilson, has called on the Federal Government to declare that none of the defence equipment showcased in the 2019 Australian Military Sales Catalogue will be sold to Saudi Arabia.
Senator Whish-Wilson said, “Last year, Minister Payne said all options were on the table in relation to halting arms sales to Saudi Arabia. But with no further word from the Government and the release of its Military Sales catalogue, it looks like the only option on the table is guns and tanks.
“If this equipment has a chance of ending up in Saudi Arabia and being used in the war on Yemen, the Federal Government should be ashamed.
“The Federal Government needs to stop hiding behind the secrecy surrounding the sale of Australian military equipment and openly declare where this equipment will end up and what it will be used for.
“Painting Australia as a top-10 global defence exporter, and pumping billions of dollars of blood money into our defence industry, is misguided and sets Australia on a wrong and dangerous path. This money is much better spent on a sustainable future and productive industries, not machines of war.”
Senator Whish-Wilson reiterated his previous calls for an immediate ban on all arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
