Melissa Parke (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

On Friday this week there will be a significant anniversary: 24 October is celebrated each year as United Nations Day. It is worth reflecting that the UN has never been more important than it is right now as the world grapples with the shared challenges of rising inequality, climate change, conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, and Ebola, among other things. As the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has said:

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We also take this opportunity to remember those who have lost their lives or have been injured in the course of carrying out their duties as international civil servants. We pay tribute to UN staff around the world for their efforts and courage in their work to protect civilians and resolve conflict, to alleviate poverty and suffering, to strengthen human rights and good governance, and to protect cultural heritage and the environment. As the MDGs transform into the sustainable development goals, much has been achieved, but there is still much more to do. The UN is integral to that effort and it is incumbent on all of us as public policymakers to ensure that the United Nations is appropriately mandated, resourced and supported to do its work effectively.

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