Robert Oakeshott (Lyne, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate the member for Fremantle on this important motion, on a topic that probably does not get the airtime in this place that it deserves. I endorse what I have heard already with regard to the Millennium Development Goals generally and to situations within our region, in particular in PNG. I also want to use my short time to promote a cause that is being raised by many members of parliament, across party lines, who want to see more action from this parliament on the Millennium Development Goals. I will try to build a case, in my four minutes, as to why part of the job description of a local member is to spend time and effort on topics such as this one.

It is chilling to think that, during a five-minute speech, five women somewhere in the world will die because of inadequate maternal health care. If that is not chilling enough to warrant spending time on this topic, let me present the arguments around the Australian sovereign interest and why every single member of parliament should give a damn about topics such as this one. It is a concern to hear people within politics or generally within the community say, ‘We should pull all aid money,’ and at the same time complain about people movement and trafficking throughout our region and the instability this can cause, the problems with health care—maternal health care in particular—violence against women and girls and issues around economic development and poverty, issues that then logically flow on to the various national security issues within our region. These are all direct threats to our national sovereignty. If for no reason other than the self-interest of protecting and promoting the country that we as members of parliament represent, it is critical that we make more mention of, and take more action on, the Millennium Development Goals, the aspirations within them and the practical work being done by so many to try and achieve them.

This is an important motion, particularly if we want fewer people movements and fewer communicable diseases within the region—and the mention of PNG on that particular topic is important when so many in our community still think AIDS is some African thing. AIDS in PNG is an issue of direct threat to health care within Australia. If nothing changes on the ground in PNG, the rate of AIDS and HIV in PNG will outstrip that in any other country in the world. It is as much, if not more, an Asia-Pacific issue as it is an Africa issue. Within the Australian community, some of these stereotypes need to change—and change quickly—because, when they do, pressure can then be applied on executive government to take greater action, to spend more resources and to address some of these issues with the urgency they deserve.

This is important for all local members to be involved with, and I hope that we see more of this. I am involved in a group of 10 Asia-Pacific male MPs working on trying to get into the heads of men within the region on the topic of violence against women and girls. That is chaired by Dr Puka Temu, the Deputy Prime Minister of PNG.. I have full confidence in his ability to steer this region-wide committee to achieve region-wide and national outcomes. That is my little bit. I hope every member does their little bit. If we do, and through motions such as this, we can achieve not only a better nation but also a better region and, ultimately—(Time expired)

See this speech in context