Philip Ruddock (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am happy to second the motion. It may be unusual but can I commend the member for Fremantle on proposing this motion. I have no problem with its terms and that will be clear. If we did not have the United Nations, no doubt people would be actively looking at how they might well form another—perhaps with even greater difficulty if you look at the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I have been assured that some would have greater difficulty acceding to terms and conditions today than they did earlier, in the 1940s.

Australia has had a continuous commitment to the United Nations and all of its activities in relation to social affairs and development and technical agencies. I was looking at a list of those that I have had association with over a period of time: the United Nations Drug Control Program, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Intellectual Property Organisation, amongst some of the specialised agencies. The numbers of bodies are legion. Australia has made financial contributions which have assisted in its activities overall period of time. We are proud of our participation in the UN’s peacekeeping operations and in it humanitarian relief, agricultural development, sustainable development and support of free and fair elections in newly emerging democracies.

If you look at the importance of associated organisations like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, both UN based organisations that are playing a significant part in dealing with some of the problems we now face, the importance of the United Nations and its agencies cannot be overlooked. I would recognise that we do have a vital role in addressing the problems of failing states and addressing poverty. Through many activities such as the UN’s Millennium Development Goals we are seeing important developments. But I am glad that the member in her motion also noted:

… Australia’s commitment to, and support for, reform of the United Nations’ system in order to ensure that the organisation reflects today’s world and is able to function efficiently and effectively.

Like the honourable member, I do recognise the importance of Australia having an active engagement in ensuring that we are able to contribute better to the functioning of the body itself, to improve its focus on key global, regional and thematic themes and to ensure that UN organisations are able to actively work in collaboration and cooperation.

The honourable member mentioned some new bodies that we are recently party to. I noted recently a paper presented by the Human Rights Council—a document I was presented with when I was recently in Geneva—welcomed the establishment of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. It welcomed the entry into force on 3 May of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the optional protocol thereto which created the ninth human rights treaty body, which will begin its work in 2009. I might say that I was party to Australia signing that convention. That happened before the change of government. It acknowledged with appreciation the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance by the General Assembly on 20 December 2006 and noted when it enters into force it will establish an additional treaty body.

I mention that because what it is doing, of course, is continuing some of the inefficiencies that we have seen in the way in which treaties that we are party to are dealt with. I welcome the measures that the council has been taking, because if you read the report further, it makes mention of the need for reduction of duplication in reporting requirements, the harmonising of general guidelines, the preliminary list of states that need to coordinate the schedule for consideration of reports, the limiting of the length of state parties reports—and I could go on with efficiencies that are being suggested. But the real problem is that, until you are able to deal with the multiplicity of treaty bodies, which nations seem unwilling to address, those efficiencies which are needed will be unlikely to occur.

I think it is very important to note the changes that are occurring in the Human Rights Council, but I think it is also important to notice the reforms that are being undertaken at the moment in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. I note particularly the structural and major management change in the processes that are occurring right now in that organisation. These sorts of developments are going to be important for the United Nations to be able to retain its pre-eminent role. I wish it well in the years ahead. (Time expired)

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