Melissa Parke (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to speak to this motion, the genesis of which was my participation, on behalf of the Australian parliament, in the inaugural Inter-Parliamentary Union conference on Parliaments, minorities and indigenous peoples: effective participation in politics, that was held in Chiapas, Mexico, in late 2010, and involved 93 parliamentary delegates from 34 countries.

Many situations around the world demonstrate that an adequate representation of minorities and indigenous peoples in policy and decision-making is instrumental in breaking the cycle of discrimination, exclusion and poverty suffered by members of these groups. Yet minorities and indigenous peoples often remain excluded from effective participation in decision-making, including at the level of the national parliament.

The conference considered various examples of inadequate participation across different national political and electoral systems. It considered the consequences of poor participation of minorities and indigenous peoples, particularly with respect to decision-making and policy development, and it discussed and examined a range of programs designed to achieve higher levels of minority and indigenous engagement.

The IPU Chiapas conference applauded Australia's national apology to Indigenous Australians in 2008, our endorsement of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the government's implementation of the Indigenous Electoral Participation Program, which was specifically highlighted in the concluding remarks of that conference. However, the conference also recognised the vast over-representation of Aboriginal Australians in the criminal justice system and their significantly poorer health, education and employment outcomes.

There could be little doubt that the under-representation of Indigenous Australians in our ballot booths, in our parliaments and in other decision-making roles has been a significant factor in allowing the adverse situation experienced by so many to persist. It was only four years ago that a WA Indigenous elder Mr Ward died an entirely unnecessary and avoidable death while he was being transported 360 kilometres on a very hot day in the back of a prison van with no ventilation or air-conditioning. That terrible event occurred 107 years after the then Labor member for Coolgardie, Hugh Mahon, moved a motion in the first year of the federal parliament calling for a royal commission into the conditions for Aboriginal people in northern Western Australia and the administration of justice. That motion was never debated.

It was not until the 1960s that Indigenous Australians gained the right to vote and stand for election to the federal parliament. Since that time, while there have been a number of Aboriginal people elected to state and territory parliaments, there have only been three elected to this place—Senator Neville Bonner, Senator Aiden Ridgeway and Ken Wyatt, the member for Hasluck. In an interview with About the House magazine earlier this year, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda said that, while politicians are getting better at communicating with diverse groups, there is no substitute for direct representation. He noted:

When ATSIC was finally abolished, there wasn’t one Aboriginal person in parliament.

Pino Migliorino, Chair of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia, said in the same article, which was entitled 'Of the people', that it is clear the Australian parliament is also failing when it comes to representing people from other culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. He noted that the dominance of the political landscape by the major parties means they themselves need to take direct responsibility for improving diversity in the parliament.

In that article, I noted that all members have a role to play in improving diversity in both political parties and the parliament. I said:

I don't think indigenous or minority issues should be just a matter for indigenous or minority groups.

They concern us all, they affect the quality of our democracy, the inclusiveness of our democracy …

The IPU conference adopted the Chiapas Declaration, which urged every parliament, within two years, to adopt a plan of action to make the right to equal participation and non-discrimination a reality. One key initiative is to require that all submissions to parliament of draft legislation and the national budget include an assessment of their impact on minorities and indigenous peoples. Considering that Australia now has in place an assessment mechanism when it comes to our human rights obligations, I believe it would be possible, and not administratively burdensome, for an aspect of that process to be dedicated specifically to considering the impact on minorities and indigenous peoples.

The Chiapas Declaration also affirmed the responsibility of political parties to promote the effective participation of minorities and indigenous peoples and address their concerns in their party programs. This is a matter I intend to take up within my own party and I hope other members will consider doing the same.

Finally, I note that the Chiapas Declaration urged national parliaments to hold a special debate on the situation of minorities and indigenous citizens within two years. This motion is part of that debate and it also moves matters forward by calling upon the government to facilitate a roundtable discussion with representatives of Australian Indigenous communities on issues arising from the Chiapas Declaration. I thank those members taking part in this debate tonight, I thank the IPU for holding this important conference with the support of the United Nations and Minority Rights Group, and I thank the government of Chiapas in Mexico for being wonderful hosts. I look forward to the next IPU conference on this important matter. (Time expired)

See this speech in context