Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the report of the Australian parliamentary delegation to Malaysia and Sri Lanka from 5 to 14 December 2011, and I ask leave of the House to make a short statement in connection with the report.

Leave granted.

I would like to make some brief comments in relation to the parliamentary delegation's visit to Malaysia and Sri Lanka between 5 and 14 December 2011. Our visit reaffirmed already strong ties with both countries. We share with Malaysia and Sri Lanka membership of the Commonwealth, and we have similar parliamentary systems. We also have frank and constructive dialogues, through parliamentary exchanges and visits such as the one that was undertaken by this parliamentary delegation. We were warmly received in each country and had significant access to senior decision makers, local officials and community representatives. The parliaments of both nations were generous with their time and hospitality.

Visits to Malaysia are frequent, as a consequence of the ASEAN bilateral delegation program. Our visit had the following objectives: to renew contacts with Malaysia's parliament and explore further avenues for dialogue and cooperation; to gain an enhanced understanding of multilevel governance and discuss recent political developments; to review the progress of Australia-Malaysia educational cooperation; to consider national and regional efforts to deal with transnational issues, including defence and security, and refugees and asylum seekers; and to explore topical issues concerning trade and investment between Australia and Malaysia. Our visit underlined the multidimensional nature of Malaysia-Australia relations. It also strengthened institutional ties between our two parliaments. In our report, we note our support for freedom of expression in Malaysia's ethnically and religiously diverse society.

Our visit to Sri Lanka was the first official visit by an Australian parliamentary delegation since the military victory by the Sri Lanka Army over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in May 2009. Our visit had the following objectives: to renew links with the parliament and assess progress towards establishing a Parliamentary Select Committee on Devolution; to gain an enhanced understanding of political, economic and social factors associated with reconciliation following the civil conflict; to consider the humanitarian, infrastructure and security aspects of the rehabilitation, resettlement and reconstruction efforts, particularly in relation to persons displaced by the conflict; to visit Australian funded aid projects in the north of the country; and to explore the potential for enhanced trade and investment, including higher education, between Australia and Sri Lanka. Our program included visits to several projects funded by AusAID and other international donors in the northern provinces of Jaffna and Kilinochchi—two provinces particularly affected by the civil war. In our report, we commend these international development projects and support continued development assistance to Sri Lanka.

We appreciated the frank nature of discussions held with ministers, members of parliament and representatives of political parties. The visit gave us a firsthand insight into the current political, economic and social situation in Sri Lanka. It also served to strengthen institutional ties between our parliaments. We concluded that reconciliation is the basis for a durable and sustainable peace, and we support ongoing engagement between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil diaspora here in Australia. We also stress the need to address alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights by all parties to the conflict. This is particularly important to me and other members of the delegation who have large Sri Lankan communities in our electorates. We are fully aware of the concern that our communities have in relation to outstanding issues in Sri Lanka at the moment.

Finally, on behalf of the delegation I would like to thank the member for Grey, in particular, who so ably served as the deputy chair of this delegation. I would like to thank the Malaysian and Sri Lankan parliaments for hosting our visits. I also sincerely thank all those who took time to meet with us. I also recognise, on behalf of the delegation, the support of the Australian missions in Kuala Lumpur and Colombo and all agencies involved in arranging our visit to northern Sri Lanka. Finally, I thank DFAT and AusAID officers here in Canberra for their tremendous support.