What’s Going On With Australia’s Defence Exports to Israel?

Australia has approved 52 defence exports to Israel in this calendar year alone – more than any other country we export to – but the Department of Defence says it cannot confirm how those military-specific goods and materials are being used, and whether or not they’re used in accordance with international law.

Earlier this week, new figures revealed the Australian government approved 322 defence exports to Israel between January 1, 2017 and March 31, 2023. The figures were disclosed by the government in response to questions on notice from Greens Senator David Shoebridge, who raised more questions at a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday.

But at the hearing, the department refused to give details on the exports, nor did it confirm how the exports had been used by the third parties buying them.

Senator Shoebridge questioned members of Australia’s Defence Department in attendance, mainly the Deputy Secretary of Strategy, Policy and Industry Hugh Jeffrey.

Firstly, the original figure of exports to Israel in that six-year period was 322 but it was confirmed in the hearing that, as of October 25, there were actually about 350.

Shoebridge asked if any had been approved since the war in Gaza began on October 7 and First Assistant Secretary of Defence Industry Policy, David Nockels, responded that another question on notice would need to be filed to the department, who would need to check.

The Department of Defence pointed out several times in the hearing that Australia’s defence exports aren’t necessarily weapons, they’re broadly categorised as either military-specific goods or dual-use devices and can include things like “radios, body armour, software, vehicle parts and sporting equipment”.

Shoebridge proceeded to ask what the exports were and whether the department was checking how those exports were used.

“We don't have a remit to seek to control the good once exported,” said Jeffrey. “That informs the risk appetite when we consider any defence export permit.”

Shoebridge interjected to say: “So, whether it's Saudi Arabia or — to list some other countries where these exports have been made — the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Israel or the Philippines, regardless of where the weapon and/or dual-use equipment is provided, once it's offshore there's no checking, no review, as to whether or not it's used in accordance with the permit, let alone in accordance with the rules of law?”

Jeffrey responded: “That's not quite correct. While the export control regime doesn't exist extraterritorially if there is credible evidence that defence exports from any country have been used to commit human rights abuses, that will inform how we deliberate on decisions on future permits.”

But Jeffrey eventually said that the only way to guarantee a defence good had or had not been “used in a certain way” was “by ensuring that there are no exports to that country”.

The Greens are now calling for greater government transparency on “who we are selling weapons to, what those weapons are and how much they cost”.

“When Australia changed governments last year there was hope it would reverse the Coalition’s push to make Australia a top 10 global arms dealer,” Shoebridge said.

“Instead, the Albanese government has doubled down on arms sales to some of the world’s most troubling regimes.”

Also at a Senate hearing this week, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong acknowledged the “widespread suffering” of “innocent civilians” and said the government has called for “a humanitarian pause … to get assistance to innocent civilians in Gaza.”

But neither she nor Anthony Albanese has yet gone as far to call it collective punishment, as some other MPs have.

At the same time, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in Washington visiting with US President Joe Biden, where they made a joint announcement and said: “We grieve for the loss of every innocent life, whether that be Israeli or Palestinian.”

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Aleksandra Bliszczyk is the Deputy Editor of VICE Australia. Follow her on Instagram.