Sid Sidebottom (Braddon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yesterday I had the privilege of coming across a former member of this House, the former member for Cowan, a friend of mine who is now the patron of the Australian Network to Ban Landmines. Graham Edwards reminded me yesterday of the cause inside the AusAID Mine Action Strategy and the need to increase and continue funding to this very worthy cause. I am reminded, too, that several constituents in my electorate have approached me to support such increased funding, and that is what I would like to do today.

The Australian Network to Ban Landmines welcomes the fact that the Australian government committed over $100 million to mine action in the decade from 1996 to 2005 and $75 million in the period 2006 to 2010. What they are calling for is for $100 million to be granted between 2011 and 2015 for this very important cause. The Rudd government, as people here will be aware, has made a very welcome commitment to increase overseas development aid to 0.5 per cent of gross national income by 2015, and this will make an increase in the commitment to the AusAID Mine Action Strategy affordable.

Funding for mine action has support from the Australian population and across all parties in the federal parliament, but I would remind members—as I have been reminded by my constituents—that, while the annual number of casualties from landmines and explosive remnants of war continues to decrease as a result of the impact of the 1997 Ottawa convention, the total number of landmine survivors continues to increase. Indeed, the last Landmine Monitor report stated that there are an estimated 470,000 landmine survivors in the world today that need ongoing assistance. Further, there are 84 countries affected by antipersonnel mines and unexploded ordnances, with an estimated 200,000 square kilometres of contaminated area needing to be cleared. Funding to assist landmine survivors provides services to people with disabilities, generally in countries where such services are often highly neglected. I support this very worthy cause. I support the Australian Network to Ban Landmines, the AusAID Mine Action Strategy and an increase in funding to support this very worthy cause.

See this speech in context