John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—The purpose of this statement is to inform the House of the government’s decision to send to Afghanistan an additional 150 troops of the ADF to reinforce the reconstruction task force and to provide enhanced force protection. The statement will also provide the parliament with the government’s latest assessment of the security situation in Afghanistan and the challenges facing the Karzai government and the coalition.

The Afghan people are working to achieve stability, peace and democracy after many years of violence and extremism. For Afghanistan, the path to security will be long and hard, with many challenges lying ahead. But Afghanistan will not have to face these challenges alone. Australia, along with many others in the international community, is there to assist the Afghan people.

We have already witnessed what happens when the global community turns its back on extremism. Afghanistan was neglected for too long, condemning the Afghan people to decades of war and poverty. But the world is now much more aware of the dangers of ignoring extremism and fundamentalism. The stability of Afghanistan has wider implications for global security, and it is for this reason the Australian government is committed to ensuring that Afghanistan achieves long-term peace.

Afghanistan’s social indicators remain sobering. At 46 years, Afghan life expectancy is one of the world’s lowest, and at least 20 years lower than that of all of Afghanistan’s neighbours. One in five children still die before the age of five, and the country has some of the world’s lowest literacy rates. In addition, 3.4 million Afghans remain outside their country and there is much room for improvement in the country’s human rights situation.

Afghanistan is still one of the world’s poorest countries. Decades of war destroyed much of the country’s infrastructure and severely disrupted economic activity, including in agriculture. Criminal and terrorist activity continues to hamper economic growth, and the expansion of the drug trade remains of very deep concern. Sustained economic growth will be required to make a significant dent in the country’s chronic poverty.

These problems are complex and will not be solved quickly. But Australia cannot and will not abandon Afghanistan. We need to remain committed to supporting this fledgling democracy.

Through our aid program we are working with Afghans, international organisations including the United Nations, and our other international partners to support Afghanistan’s transition from conflict to stability, peace and democracy.

At the London conference in January 2006 the government committed $55 million in development assistance to Afghanistan through to June 2007. This is part of a commitment of up to $150 million over the next five years. These funds will go towards improving security, rebuilding institutions, protecting human rights, especially for women and girls, and improving the delivery of essential services to ordinary Afghans. It builds on the $110 million we have disbursed since 2001 to assist in reconstruction and development.

Our efforts, and those of our coalition partners, are bearing fruit. Afghans have embraced democracy and open, democratic institutions are developing. Afghanistan now has a democratic constitution and a democratically elected president and parliament. The country’s first parliamentary elections in 30 years were held in September 2005. Some 6.4 million Afghans, representing over 50 per cent of registered voters, turned out to elect representatives to the lower house and the 34 provincial councils.

In an encouraging sign for the inclusiveness of Afghanistan’s burgeoning civil society, women featured prominently in these elections: 68 women were elected to the lower house, taking 27 per cent of available seats; and 121 women were elected to provincial councils, representing almost 30 per cent of available seats at this level.

The Afghan government has made education of women and girls a priority in an effort to overcome the legacy of the Taliban. With the entry of women into Afghanistan’s parliament and provincial councils, Afghans now have an additional opportunity to address the injustices of the past.

Just as democracy is becoming more deeply rooted in Afghanistan, economic recovery is providing new economic opportunities. Real GDP is expected to grow by almost 12 per cent in 2006. This builds on strong growth rates over the past few years, even if from a low base.

The ordinary people of Afghanistan are benefiting directly from these developments. Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, a UNICEF immunisation program has vaccinated more than 2.3 million children under the age of five against polio—almost eradicating that disease.

The indicators of progress in Afghanistan are promising, but significant challenges remain. Afghan society is still predominantly rural in character, and the country’s democratic institutions, though developing, remain fragile and the struggle against extremists continues.

The level of violence has increased in Afghanistan in recent months as the Taliban and other terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda, seek to chip away at the credibility of the Afghan government and prevent reconstruction taking place. Security beyond Kabul, particularly in the east and the south, is the worst since the Taliban fell. Suicide bombings have increased.

Australia, as the House will know, made a significant contribution to coalition operations in Afghanistan following the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington in September 2001. With the completion of that particular task, our forces returned home with the thanks of all Australians. It is worth noting, in light of the negative and opportunistic comments now being made by some in the opposition, that at the time that decision was made, the then Leader of the Opposition, Mr Crean—

See this speech in context