Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

I present the report of the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the 149th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, held in Geneva, Switzerland, and bilateral visit to Paris, France, from 13 to 18 October 2024. I'm pleased to present the report of the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the 149th IPU Assembly held in Geneva and the visit to France. It was an honour and privilege to lead the delegation, which comprised Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds CSC, Senator Deborah O'Neill, the Hon. Warren Entsch and Mr Graham Perrett MP. The theme of the 149th assembly was harnessing science, technology and innovation for a more peaceful and sustainable future. Senator O'Neill and I contributed to this debate.

The delegation was particularly active during the assembly, and the highlights of our contribution at the assembly included my appointment as chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Finance and Senator O'Neill's appointment to the bureau of the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights, as well as her appointment as president of the committee. The advancement of Senator Reynolds's work on orphanage trafficking included securing the agreement of the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights to debate implementation of the 2023 IPU resolution on orphanage trafficking at the next assembly. I congratulate and thank Senator Reynolds for her leadership.

The assembly held an emergency debate on the theme 'Response by parliamentarians to the urgent plea by the UN Secretary-General to recommit to multilateralism for global peace, justice and sustainability', with the debate culminating in a resolution on the same theme, which calls on the international community, including the IPU membership, to end the appalling impact of conflict on children and take other action to protect vulnerable persons.

During our visit to France, the delegation was officially received by the Madame Yael Braun-Pivet, President of the National Assembly, at Palais Bourbon. I presented the official guest-of-parliament invitation to the President. The delegation met with Madam President, along with Ms Eleonore Caroit MP, the vice-president of the foreign affairs committee at the National Assembly.

The delegation was able to meet with Senator Loic Herve, Vice President of the Senate, as well as Senator Florence Blatrix Contat, chair of the France-Australia friendship group, and Senator Georges Naturel, senator for New Caledonia. The delegation also met with Pierre Rabadan, the deputy mayor of Paris in charge of sport, the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Seine, as well as Mr Etienne Thobois, general director of the Paris Organising Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Finally, the delegation travelled to the Arc de Triomphe, where I was able to lay a wreath on behalf of the Parliament of Australia at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was an honour for me to then participate in the rekindling of the flame ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on behalf of Australia.

On behalf of the parliamentary delegation, I'd like to thank those who supported the 149th IPU Assembly and our bilateral visit to France, which was accompanied by the Clerk of the parliament, including the arrangements by staff of the International and Parliamentary Relations Office and staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. A final special thank you goes to our committee secretary, Dr Jane Thomson. I commend this report to the House.

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