Dennis Jensen (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the report of the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the 35th AIPA General Assembly held in Vientiane in September 2014. The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, or AIPA, was established by the parliaments of five ASEAN member countries in 1977. Its aims are to encourage cooperation, collaboration and communication among parliaments in the region and to contribute to the goals and aspirations of ASEAN through inter-parliamentary cooperation. Over the decades, AIPA has expanded to now include the parliaments of 10 ASEAN member countries and 12 observer parliaments.

The 35th AIPA General Assembly was held last year in Vientiane, Laos. As leader of the Australian parliamentary delegation to AIPA, it was an honour to represent Australia in this important parliamentary forum for South-East Asian Nations. The General Assembly focused on strengthening parliamentary cooperation and dealt with important regional concerns including those relating to gender, political security matters, sustainable economic growth, development through entrepreneurship and public health issues.

In addition, the Australian parliamentary delegation participated in a formal dialogue session with parliamentarians from ASEAN countries, where we discussed new ways to enhance cooperation and engagement between our parliaments. The warm and productive discussions we had with our regional colleagues covered a wide range of opportunities for parliamentary cooperation, including capacity building in relation to library, research and transcription services and legislative and scrutiny capacity for parliamentarians; increased parliamentary exchanges; and cooperation to address people trafficking, disaster management, agriculture, human resource development and financial services. It is quite important to note here, as well, that there was quite a lot of discussion about the assistance in the bureaucracy that we have provided.

The dialogue session in particular provided an excellent opportunity for our delegation to highlight and celebrate the many positive and productive bilateral relationships Australia has with ASEAN nations. Australia has had a multilateral relationship with ASEAN since 1974, and our attendance at the 35th AIPA General Assembly was therefore a very important opportunity to reinforce Australia's ongoing commitment to and engagement with the South-East Asian region. On behalf of the delegation, I would like to record our thanks to the host, the parliament of the Lao PDR, for its warm hospitality and a well organised AIPA General Assembly.

In addition to representing Australia at the AIPA General Assembly, the delegation also took the opportunity to attend meetings with Australian business representatives, volunteers and non-government organisations working in Laos. The delegation also visited an Australian mining operation in Laos and was able to see the positive and sustainable outcomes this has had for nearby communities. Overall, we were very impressed with the breadth and effectiveness of Australia's engagement with Laos through these committed and passionate individuals and organisations.

Before concluding, I would like to take this opportunity to express the delegation's appreciation to the Australian embassy in Vientiane, very ably led by His Excellency John Williams. The ambassador and his team made arrangements for the delegation's meetings and engagements beyond the AIPA General Assembly, which contributed to the visit's overall success. The team at the embassy were also very generous with their time and support for the delegation. Finally, I would like to acknowledge my colleague on the delegation, the honourable member for Moreton, whose long held interest in the region and enthusiastic participation in proceedings made a valuable contribution to our formal and informal discussions during the visit. I commend the report to the House.

Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Tangney for his very extensive contribution explaining the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly delegation visit to Vientiane, Laos. Such delegations to ASEAN member countries have a long history, going back to 1977. The idea is that parliamentarians getting together on a personal level helps contribute to the goals and aspirations of ASEAN through this inter-parliamentary cooperation. Certainly I made some good friends, particularly in Myanmar with some other parliamentarians focused on human rights.

It was a great opportunity, well led by the member for Tangney. We were also accompanied, Mr Speaker, by your predecessor, the member for Mackellar—the previous Speaker. Obviously she was there trying to catch up with the ASEAN people who would be voting in the election she was trying out for, a little bit unsuccessfully. But she added to the delegation as well.

The first time I went to Vientiane was as a backpacker in March 1989, just as Laos had opened up to tourism. I was just saying to the member for Moncrieff that I ran into a journalist from the Gold Coast Bulletin on that trip. It is amazing to think of how much Vientiane has changed between then and when I back there with the member for Tangney last year to the 35th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly.

Obviously the formal dialogue sessions with the ASEAN countries are always very important, with very constructive discussions. We covered a range of topics. It is amazing what issues are raised, particularly the economy and the opportunities that are coming in the ASEAN region as they move towards having one set of economic arrangements. Obviously I think that is a long way off at the moment, but it was quite positive.

I particularly enjoyed attending the meetings with the Australian business representatives and the volunteers, particularly at the organisation that supports the victims of landmines and at the other non-government organisations that work in Laos. I think Australia is well served by the NGOs that we have that work with our embassies and, like the member for Tangney, I particularly acknowledge our ambassador, His Excellency Mr John Williams, who oversees a great team with good connections throughout the country. We enjoyed our visit up to the north of Laos to see the Australian mining operation and the great work that they are doing. It is a lean operation with a great environmental record and a particularly strong focus on ensuring that there is employment for all of the communities, particularly some of the minority groups in Laos.

When I first went to Vientiane in 1989 I stayed with some friends who were working for the United Nations. They were helping to set up the phone service there. In their front yard that there was a fish pond, and it was while I was staying at their house in Vientiane back in 1989 that I got the inspiration for that metaphor that I used in my first novel, The Twelfth Fish. So it was great to go back many years later not as a backpacker—certainly not misbehaving like we did as backpackers—although the member for Tangney and I got to see many parts of Vientiane.

I thank him for his leadership and for the great contribution it has made to interparliamentary connections. Obviously Australia has some economic challenges, but there are opportunities that come from connecting with our ASEAN neighbours. I particularly thank the member for Tangney for his contribution and commend the report to the House.