Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In an increasingly connected world, it is important for us as global citizens to have an understanding of the forces that drive global events and an understanding of the issues faced by sovereign nations, particularly in our region. Recently we have seen cyclones devastate the people of Burma, earthquakes wreak havoc in China, civil unrest in Indonesia as a result of the global rise in the cost of living, the materialisation of strong Asian based economies, the establishment of regional trade blocs and partnerships in South-East Asia and the Pacific, the emergence of new governments and the end of others—all of which are events that, in a post Westphalia world, will have an effect upon Australia, our economy, our policy decisions, our way of life and our future.

The rise of globalisation has forced a rethink on how sovereign states engage one another on the world stage. Whether the result of planning or of circumstance, it is nonetheless a reality. The question that it presents Australia as a nation with is: how well do we understand it? What do we know about the system that governs international relations? Sadly, recent studies indicate that Australians—in particular, younger Australians—have very little knowledge of global governance and the United Nations. Figures supplied by the United Nations Association of Australia from a study of Victorian university students showed:

[Of] 691 respondents, 85% described their own knowledge of the United Nations as ‘low’ or ‘very low’. Students’ responses to a series of questions about the UN further supported this assessment. Only one of ten basic questions elicited a correct answer from more than half of the students. The average rating for the answers was only 33 percent.

These statistics paint a troubling scenario, suggesting that, as our nation becomes more responsive to global and regional forces, our existing understanding of the system that guides international relations, and the United Nations in particular, will affect the way we respond.

It is with this in mind that I shall be seeking to establish a region-wide model UN conference for secondary students throughout the City of Greater Geelong, with the support of the member for Corangamite. It is envisaged that the conference, currently earmarked for a date in mid-August, will be conducted in partnership with the United Nations Association of Australia. With close to 30 schools in the region eligible to participate, it is seen that delegations of two students from year 10 and/or year 11, representing the interests of one UN member-state in a range of debates focused on regional issues in the Asia-Pacific, will provide the most suitable discussion format for the conference. Having now received in-principle support from the CEO of the City of Greater Geelong to supply a venue, my office intends to send a letter to all local secondary schools in the next fortnight, providing them with pertinent information and inviting them to provide a delegation to the conference. It is hoped that a successful conference will provide the impetus to make it an annual event for the region—something that can only be beneficial for both Greater Geelong and the nation.