Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today it gives me great pleasure to speak to two petitions that were presented to me during the parliamentary recess. The first is from a group belonging to the Make Poverty History group and also associated with the Box Hill Salvation Army church. I had the pleasure of Cindy Quartel and Paul Hansen coming to my office with Cindy’s delightful daughter, who we corrupted with ABC Online. She did not want to leave until she had seen the end of the entertainment that we put on the computer for her. But Cindy and Paul are very passionate about making poverty history. They have been speaking a great deal within their faith groups and amongst other communities to bring attention to this issue, and they presented me with this petition. Unfortunately, I think it is going to be out of order but I will present it to the committee anyway:

Dear Anna

We, the undersigned are living in your electorate and are extremely concerned about the high number of maternal deaths (Millennium Development Goal 4) and child deaths (Millennium Development Goal 5) occurring in our neighbouring South East Asian and Pacific regions. For example, 1 in every 12 children in Cambodia dies before their 5th birthday, and the rate of maternal mortality in East Timor is 80 times that of Australia.

We acknowledge that Australia has improved its international health assistance program in recent years. However, we are not contributing our fair share to the global effort in achieving the health MDGs. To ensure maternal and child survival in these regions and to stop the spread of AIDS, Australia must:

• Increase aid for basic health to $1 billion per year by the 2010-11 budget.
• As part of this increase, it needs to contribute to effective international health bodies like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunisation, World Health Organisation, UNICEF and UNAIDS.
• Help improve international health coordination and ensure sufficient funding by donors and developing countries by actively contributing to the International Health Partnership.

As our federal local MP, we urge you to voice our concern in Parliament and strongly encourage the Australian government to fulfil its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5.

The petition was signed by 70 petitioners.

The second petition I want to speak about today is probably one of the most attractive petitions I have ever received. The girls at Avila College, a Catholic girls school in my electorate, went to enormous lengths in compiling it; one of the students has actually crafted on the front a beautiful picture. In it is written: ‘It’s in the idea.’ Avila College has a very long tradition of working in the reconciliation movement. The school has ties with a community in Alice Springs, and for a number of years it has worked towards the ideal of reconciliation. It has been a joy to work with the school over a number of years, and I had the pleasure of going to their school assembly recently. The school has in excess of 1,000 girls, and I was delighted to see the passion and the commitment to reconciliation and a number of other issues that the school addressed at that assembly. Christine, a student, made this speech to the assembly:

What an amazing day the 13th of February was. I’m sure you all remember it. I’m sure you remember Caitlyn speaking for us as she expressed our happiness that an apology had finally been made to the Stolen Generations. I’m sure you remember the tears in some people’s eyes as we watched Kevin Rudd repeat that word, “sorry”.

It seemed right that Avila should say thank you to the government for taking this step towards putting right one element of the relationship between black and white Australia.

In the speech our Prime Minister promised to close the gap that exists between black and white Australia in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity. He acknowledged that the apology was only the first step.

Today we are pleased to present to Ms Anna Burke, the Federal member for the seat of Chisholm, with our statement of thanks and our petition requesting that the government give the Aboriginal community a voice in the decision making that lies ahead. 465 of us have signed this petition.

The petition read as follows—

TO THE HONOURABLE THE SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRE-SENTATIVES

This petition of Avila College draws to the attention of the House our concern that Indigenous Australians are not being given a voice.

We say “thank you” to the House for the apology to the “Stolen Generations” and the commitment to address the gap in life expectancy between Australians. Our College has a long tradition of working for reconciliation and believes there is a powerful and important process of healing in the act of saying sorry. We have yearned for this acknowledgment of past wrongs. However, this will mean nothing without reparation.

Those of us who are young believe that it is important to acknowledge what the House has achieved. You have given hope to a generation that will shape the future. We have been fortunate to have experienced this moment. We, the youth of our nation say, “thank you”.

Those who are older recognise this historic moment in the relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non Indigenous Australians. It was celebrated and wept over in our community, with hearts touched by the goodwill and sincerity of the apology. We say again, “thank you”.

In the spirit of the 13th February, 2008, we therefore ask the House to actively work with the leaders of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples, listening to their wisdom, and understanding their needs, by giving them a voice as you implement the work that was outlined in the apology.

It is with thanks and hope that we now hand over this petition.

(Time expired)

Judi Moylan (Pearce, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The documents will be forwarded to the Standing Committee on Petitions for its consideration and will be accepted subject to confirmation by the committee that they conform to the standing orders.