Debate Afghanistan, says Brown


Australian Greens leader Bob Brown expects the new parliament to debate Australia's role in Afghanistan.

All other 42 nations in the NATO-led coalition had conducted a parliamentary debate, he said.

"It's very remiss ... that there hasn't been a parliamentary debate and I would expect it very soon into the next term of parliament," he told reporters in Melbourne.

His comments follow the death of two more Australian soldiers in Afghanistan on Friday, taking the toll to 20 in almost a decade of involvement.

Labor and the coalition have supported Australian involvement in Afghanistan but the Greens have called for a withdrawal.

Senator Brown said there were grieving families, friends and communities following the deaths of the two soldiers.

All political parties held defence personnel in extraordinarily high regard for their courage, bravery and commitment.

"We should reciprocate (at a) minimum by having a parliamentary debate on what's going on in Afghanistan," he said.

"It's complex, it's nasty, it's becoming more dangerous and the Australian people and not least our defence force personnel deserve a parliamentary debate."