Interview with Senator Marise Payne ABC AM Program 18 Oct 2016

JOURNALIST

For more on the operation to retake Mosul from the Islamic State group, I am joined now by the Defence Minister, Marise Payne. Marise Payne, good morning.

MINISTER

Good morning, how are you?

JOURNALIST

What is the Australian involvement in the operation?

MINISTER

We are continuing our work providing support to the Iraqi security forces throughout the Mosul offensive. As you know, we have been involved with Task Group Taji as part of our Building Partner Capacity mission, training members of the Iraqi security force units with the New Zealand Defence Force and we also have our Special Operations Task Group, which continues to provide support to the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service, 1^st Iraqi Special Operations Brigade. So that is ongoing, through these actions, as indeed it was in the movements in Ramadi and Fallujah previously.

JOURNALIST

Last year when we were involved in that operation to retake Ramadi, that was described as an advise and assist role. What does that mean?

MINISTER

It continues to be an Advise and Assist role. We are supporting the Iraqi Special Operations Brigade in the work that they are doing. We have been very intensively training with them and advising and assisting. It literally means what it says, in fact, Michael. I was there in August and had an opportunity to observe some of that. It’s an important role. Both the Iraqi Government and Iraqi senior military officers have remarked to me and to other Australian officials how valuable they find it.

JOURNALIST

For this battle in Mosul, do we have Australians with eyes on the battlespace? Are they close enough to see what’s happening and how do they make their assessments?

MINISTER

I am not going to give those sorts of specific details in operational terms for security reasons. I think you would understand that but suffice to say that in terms of the work that we’ve been undertaking, we are confident in the support that we’ve been providing to the Iraqi Special Operations Brigade in the SOTG context. In terms of the work that has been undertaken by Task Group Taji, I saw an observation recently that we have trained our twelve-thousandth Iraqi solider. That’s been a very intensive process, more intensive recently in the build-up to Mosul and something which we have found very productive.

JOURNALIST

Do we actually have anyone on the ground in Mosul or are they watching from screens or what’s happening?

MINISTER

I am not going to go into those sorts of details, Michael.

JOURNALIST

But isn’t this part of the problem in the past? We’ve had decisions made by people who have been far away and as accurate as they might think they are, things haven’t ended so well sometimes, have they?

MINISTER

Well I think in terms of the work of the international coalition and the work that it is doing with the Iraqi Defence Forces and Iraqi Government themselves, we have good lines of communications. We have senior embedded Australians in the international coalition system and a regular approach to communication and exchange of information. Our Joint Operations Command is obviously regularly briefed and constantly in touch with actions that are undertaken in Iraq on the ground as far as the Australian involvement is concerned.

JOURNALIST

As we keep hearing, there is up to a million civilians that could be caught up in this. Is enough provision being made for them?

MINISTER

This is a key issue. Limiting the impact on civilian residents who are still in Mosul. The Iraqi Government has conducted very deliberate, very overt information campaigns to endeavour to limit the impact on those civilian residents but it’s a complex operation, there’s no doubt about that. It involves many moving parts. It’s expected to take some time to flow through. Ensuring that we can as far as possible limit the impact on civilian residents has been a concern both of the international coalition and obviously the Iraqi Government.

JOURNALIST

But it will be a long battle, won’t it?  Everyone’s talking about months. It’s not going to be quick.

MINISTER

Indeed. It’s very complex and it involves many moving parts.

JOURNALIST

This is a real test for Iraq as well, isn’t it? You’ve got Peshmerga fighters along side Iraqi forces the first time. They’re retaking a largely Sunni city. The politics for Iraq once this is over will be complex as well, won’t it?

MINISTER

Well I think the politics for Iraq is indeed complex, even now, and yes, it is a very challenging environment. We are endeavouring to support Iraq and their security forces. That’s the basis of our presence in the country at their invitation, so that they are able to keep their people safe, so that they are able to maintain reasonable control over their own territory and ultimately to combat Daesh.

JOURNALIST

Now, meanwhile in Aleppo and Syria the crisis continues to get worse there. We’re not active there on the ground or in any way in the same ways that we are in Iraq but should we be?

MINISTER

The Government has taken careful decisions in relation to Syria and of course prior to that, in Iraq, and the position that we take in relation to the Air Task Group is one that we think is appropriate.

JOURNALIST

Alright, Marise Payne, we’ll leave it there. Thanks very much for joining us.

MINISTER

Thank you very much, Michael.