Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am delighted to recognise the visit to Australia by Penpa Tsering, the Sikyong elected leader of the Tibetan government in exile, and welcome him to the chamber today. Having travelled to Dharamshala, it is so good to return the hospitality.

Since 1959, many Tibetans have fled their homeland. Some are in the Blue Mountains, in my own electorate of Macquarie, where they tell me how much they value their freedoms. It's vital Australia keeps speaking out about our serious concerns on human rights in Tibet, publicly and privately, directly with China and in multilateral forums. Our foreign minister has consistently done this. In March the assistant foreign minister delivered Australia's national statement at the Human Rights Council, expressing our concerns about reports of the erosion of educational, religious, cultural and linguistic rights and freedoms in Tibet. There are disturbing reports by UN experts of Tibetans being forcibly transferred to vocational training programs and of separation of Tibetan children from families in government run boarding schools. We are deeply concerned by reports of the detention of Tibetans for expressing peaceful political views or for religious expression; the excessive security measures; mass surveillance; restrictions on travel; and China's policies on Tibetan cultural rights and heritage.

It is good to have the Sikyong here to highlight these issues. You have my support.

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