Bob Sercombe (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—Our South Pacific neighbourhood is the region in the world where Australia has the capacity to contribute decisively to improving economic development prospects, social and political development and security. It is overwhelmingly in Australia’s national interests to contribute so decisively. This report from the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, I believe, makes a modest contribution to debate on appropriate ways forward on those national objectives. What is undoubtedly needed is focused energy and creativity in partnership with our Pacific island neighbours. What is not needed is hectoring and megaphone diplomacy.

The recommendations in the report reflect the importance of some of the creative ideas but also the need now for detailed development of such ideas. The first recommendation relates to the importance of financial services in development, and particularly the importance of microfinance. The second recommendation deals with building private sector capacity in the region. It includes, as the member for Cook indicated, a recommendation for active consideration of an interesting proposal by Roland Rich, a former head of the Centre for Democratic Institutions at the Australian National University.

The third recommendation notes the importance to Pacific island economies of access to developed economies for seasonal workers. This is vital to the region’s development and to achieving stronger economic integration in the region. Of course, any such proposals would need to ensure that the interests of Australian workers were protected as well as avoid any prospect of exploitation of Pacific island workers. I am pleased in this context to note that the Minister for Foreign Affairs, no less, at the recent Arthur Tange memorial lecture, said the government was closely monitoring the implementation of such a scheme in our neighbour New Zealand.

The fourth recommendation deals with strengthening the Australian Development Scholarships scheme, a most important scheme on a number of levels, not least the people-to-people connections that it builds within our Pacific region. The fifth recommendation deals with introducing some genuine reciprocity to the Australian youth ambassadors scheme, whereby Pacific island young people can be placed with Australian host organisations to gain work experience and cultural exchange.

I believe the report, as I said, makes a modest contribution, but nonetheless an important one, to taking forward Australian debate on developing some of the creative ideas we need if in fact Australia, in its service of its own national interests—apart from doing the right thing by our neighbours—is going to act in the decisive way we need to in relation to our region and its potential. I commend the report to the House. I move:

That the House take note of the report.

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