Report urges Australia to increase Ukraine aid efforts

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Report urges Australia to increase Ukraine aid efforts

Australia should significantly bolster its military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine in a “comprehensive” commitment to repel Russia’s invasion, a parliamentary report says.

A Senate inquiry examining support for Ukraine called on the federal government to appoint a coordinator-general, who would report to cabinet’s national security committee and spearhead aid efforts.

Among the opposition-led committee’s 22 recommendations are re-establishing Australia’s embassy in Kyiv, and for future Ukrainian government requests for coal shipments to be given the highest priority.

Plans should also be developed to give Ukraine extra military vehicles such as the Bushmaster and Hawkei, the report urged.

It said federal departments need to work with each other more effectively in co-ordinating a response to aid in Ukraine.

“Co-ordination should be streamlined to better target the support Australia is providing,” the report said.

“The government should articulate a consistent strategic objective in its support for Ukraine.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong defended the government’s record, saying it was a significant aid contributor to Ukraine as she reiterated Australia’s support for the embattled nation.

The foreign minister spoke to her Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha on September 10.

Mr Sybiha expressed interest in decommissioned equipment to help Ukraine on the battlefield as Australia mulled what to do with an ageing Abrams tank fleet set to be replaced.

Ukraine previously asked for decommissioned Taipan helicopters, which Australia tore apart and ******* after they were grounded early following safety concerns.

Defence Minister Richard Marles has said Australia was working closely with Ukraine about how best to support them “for as long as it takes” when asked about the transfer of the tanks.

Australia has donated over $1 billion in military support to Ukraine including Bushmaster infantry vehicles, ammunition and artillery.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham has called for a long-term support plan as well as for Australia’s embassy in Kyiv to be reopened, with the ambassador acting out of Poland while some 70 nations had moved back.

“Why is that impossible for Australia, yet possible for everybody else? Including most notably Canada, with whom we share the same building,” he told ABC TV.

It would send a signal about how serious Australia’s support was and enable greater access to important information about the war through last-minute or highly secretive briefings that couldn’t be accessed remotely, he said.

Senator Wong maintained the government would reopen the embassy when it was safe, with Kyiv still under threat from Russian attacks.

“I’m certainly not interested in letting politics compromise officials’ considerations of workplace health and safety assessments,” she told ABC Radio.

The opposition argued Ukrainian air defences provided a safe enough environment and like-minded nations had reopened embassies after security considerations.

Senator Wong also condemned Iran for supplying Russia missiles, saying it showed “the extent to which the Iranian regime is a destabilising and repressive force”.

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