Weapons export permits granted by Defence to send lethal technology to accused human rights violators

The Defence Department has granted dozens of weapons export permits over the past two years to nations accused of mass human rights violations and war crimes.

The ABC can reveal approval is routinely given for Australian-made lethal technology to be sent to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, but the federal government insists careful consideration has been given to each decision.

Official figures from Defence confirm 200 permits for “military or dual-use” exports were issued in total for the three nations between 2021 and 2022, although during the same period thousands of approvals were also given to countries such as the US and New Zealand.

Greens senator David Shoebridge, who has pursued details of the deals during budget estimates, claims Australia is doing business with “some of the worst human rights abusers on the planet”.

“Australian weapons are helping to fuel the brutal war in Yemen, causing the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophe forcing millions of children into hunger,” he said. 

Defence has declined to offer any other details of the weapon sales to the Middle East and Indonesia, but the ABC understands they include remote weapon stations, small arms, ammunition and armoured transport equipment.

“What is concerning is just how little transparency there is on Australia’s defence exports. We’re told almost nothing,” Senator Shoebridge says.

Human rights activists have long accused Saudi Arabia and the UAE of committing mass atrocities while leading a coalition fighting a war against Houthi rebels in Yemen, one of the poorest nations in the Middle East. 

For decades evidence has also emerged of alleged torture and massacres of innocent people by Indonesia’s military while trying to suppress the West Papuan Independence movement.

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy says all exports to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia have been dutifully “assessed against Australia’s export controls legislative criteria”.

“The Australian government takes its export control obligations seriously, including as a member of the international export control regimes,” he said.

“The Department of Defence assesses all defence export applications on a case-by-case basis.

“This includes careful consideration of a broad range of factors, including Australia’s international legal obligations, as well as human rights, regional and national security, and foreign policy considerations.”

During 2021 and 2022 Defence Export Controls approved close to 3,500 military and dual-use export permits to multiple destinations around the world, with the top five recipients being the US, New Zealand, UK, Germany and Canada.

Mr Conroy insists “if overriding risks to Australia’s security, defence, or international relations had been identified, the permits would have been refused”. 

When asked about the permits on Saturday, Defence Minister Richard Marles said every deal was done, “consistent with the very tight export guidelines that we have, as well as being consistent with our international obligations and our human rights obligations”.

Mr Marles said he would not comment on the specifics of any individual export.

“Australians should have a sense of confidence that the way in which we have engaged in exports over the course of the last 12 months, and certainly the way in which we will do so in the future, is consistent with the very tight guidelines that we have and the international obligations that we also have,” he said.

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Calls for Australia to follow US and Europe to increase transparency 

The Defence Department consistently refuses to release details of individual weapons exports citing “commercial sensitivities”, despite Australian defence companies regularly promoting their overseas sales, and other comparable nations publishing data.

Across Europe and the United States governments have moved to publish detailed information about their weapons sales, often including the precise arms involved, and their value.