Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

It is perhaps opportune that the Australian parliament is raising the issue of cluster munitions at this time. The happy news of the engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton and the prince’s offer of his mother’s engagement ring has been a timely reminder to the world of the passion and dedication that Diana, Princess of Wales, demonstrated in her tireless effort to create a world free from landmines. The graciousness and generosity of spirit for which she was known and loved stayed with her at all times through immense personal challenges.

In August 1997, just days before her death, Princess Diana visited Bosnia to draw attention to terrible consequences of landmines, particularly the effect on children. It is in the context of this bill and the news of the royal engagement that the coalition again pays tribute to the work of Princess Diana and shares the disappointment of all that she was not able to personally receive the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, a campaign that she championed so passionately.

The coalition under the Howard government was proud to play an important role in support of Princess Diana’s vision and legacy. Australia was one of the original signatories to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction. In 1998 the Australia parliament gave effect to the mine ban convention, which required the Australian Defence Force to destroy Australia’s stockpile of antipersonnel landmines, and the Howard government took this step several years before the necessary deadline. The Howard government also supported these initiatives with funding of $100 million over 10 years, and this was backed up in 2005 with a further $75 million over five years. Our firm commitment to ending the use of landmines was again highlighted in 2006, when Foreign Minister Downer released an AusAID publication on AusAID mine action.

I believe the Criminal Code Amendment (Cluster Munitions Prohibition) Bill 2010 is another positive step in continuing the action initiated by the Howard government. We welcome the fact that the Australian government was among the initial signatories to the convention of cluster munitions in Oslo in 2008. Speaking in parliament on 18 November 2009, just 12 months ago to the day, I stated the coalition’s support for the prompt ratification of the convention. The convention:

… will expand international efforts to reduce the harmful impacts of explosives on civilians. It will also help promote the development of those countries worst affected, many of which are in our region.

It is a sad reality that the region in which Australia finds itself has fallen victim to the scourge of landmines and unexploded ordnance. Areas that could be used for agriculture or commercial activity, for example, continue to lie unused.

The coalition is pleased to note that the current bill addresses the concerns raised by the Department of Defence and the recommendations of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade in their inquiry into the prohibition of cluster munitions. That inquiry took place in 2006. It is crucial to our long-term national security interests and the safety of Australian Defence Force personnel that we maintain:

… the right to retain or acquire a limited number of munitions for the development of, and training in, cluster munition detection, clearance or destruction techniques, or the development of cluster munition counter measures.

Importantly, the bill also protects Australia’s right to engage in joint military operations with non-state parties. We note, however, that the provisions of the current bill were referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade on 28 October for inquiry and report. As such, and as my colleague the member for Cowan indicated earlier in this debate, the coalition reserves its right to amend the bill in the Senate should the committee make further recommendations and should such amendment be necessary.

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