Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the 'Declaration of Intent on a Strategic Dialogue' between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Netherlands was signed by Foreign Minister Bishop and Foreign Minister Koenders on 2 November 2016, in Canberra;

(b) the Declaration has been updated from the one signed in February 2014 by Foreign Minister Bishop and the then Foreign Minister Timmermans to reflect current events and increased closeness between our two countries through our shared commitment to achieve accountability with respect to the downing of MH17; and

(c) the Declaration commits Australia and the Netherlands to enhanced cooperation on international security, trade and investment, human rights and development issues; and

(2) welcomes enhanced economic and security cooperation between Australia and the Netherlands.

It is with great pleasure that I rise in the House today to speak on the Declaration of Intent on a Strategic Dialogue between Australia and the Netherlands. The Declaration of Intent on a Strategic Dialogue was signed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, and Netherlands Minister of Foreign Affairs Koenders on 2 November 2016. The declaration has been updated, from one signed in February 2014, to reflect current events and the increased closeness between our two countries through our shared commitment to achieve accountability with respect to the downing of MH17. The declaration commits Australia and the Netherlands to an enhanced cooperation on international security, trade and investment, human rights and development issues, and welcomes enhanced economic and security cooperation between Australia and the Netherlands.

The close relationship Australia and the Netherlands is shared and grounded in our common values, including democracy, human rights, free trade and a rules-based international order. It is interesting to reflect that the Netherlands is probably one of the oldest democracies in the world. As somebody who is a first generation descendant of parents who came out from the Netherlands in the 1960s, is a great pleasure to be speaking on this motion.

Earlier this month we were honoured to welcome Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Netherlands during their state visit to Australia. They were accompanied by the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Bert Koenders. The visit provided the opportunity for our Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, to sign the new Declaration of Intent on a Strategic Dialogue, which commits us to enhanced cooperation on international security, trade and investment, as well as human rights and development issues.

More than 300,000 Australians claim Dutch heritage, myself included. This new declaration of intent builds on that already close relationship between Australia and the Netherlands. Looking at my electorate, which covers both part of Logan City and part of the Gold Coast, people of Dutch heritage appear in the top 10 per cent of people who live in those communities—about two per cent of the population in each community.

The declaration highlights the strong political, economic and cultural ties between Australia and the Netherlands. As our fourth largest source of foreign direct investment, we enjoy a healthy two-way trading relationship of over $6 billion annually. But there is the potential for us to do much more.

While we talk about current-day events, the close ties between Australia and the Netherlands have developed through history, from 1606, when Dutch East India Company ship Duyfken first made contact with Indigenous Australians at Mapoon on Cape York, to the migration in the 20th century. Many Dutch migrants moved to Australia after World War II, when the Dutch government actively encouraged emigration to relieve housing shortages and economic distress. We have a shared heritage of values and a strong trade partnership.

In more recent times, the relationship between Australia and the Netherlands has grown quite close in our combined efforts to seek justice for the victims and loved ones affected by the tragic downing of MH17. Our two countries have shared in our grief at the loss of so many people from our respective countries and, together with other grieving countries, we have united in our intention to hold those responsible for this tragedy to account.

With the signing of the new declaration, I am confident that this already close relationship between our two nations will further deepen through close cooperation and collaboration. I commend the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Bert Koenders, and our Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, for their commitment to strengthening an enduring relationship between Australia and the Netherlands. I commend this motion to the House.

Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there a seconder for the member's motion?

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

Yes, I second the motion by the member for Forde. In seconding the motion by the member for Forde about the Declaration of Intent on a Strategic Dialogue Between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, I recognise that longstanding connection between the Australian people and the Dutch people. I particularly mention the member for Forde with his background in Holland. Also, coming from Brisbane, I note that the Brisbane Roar have connections with the Dutch community and wear the colours of the Dutch community, something that my granddad, with his Irish background, probably would not be as keen on. But modern-day Australia is a mix of many people, and I commend the member for Forde on this motion and his support for football in another capacity as well.

Obviously that close relationship between Australia and the Netherlands is grounded in many of the things that we hold sacred, democracy being a strong connection but also support for human rights and free trade—the Dutch having a long history of being a trading nation—and rules-based international order. And I note that the Dutch have always been prepared to put on a blue beret in support of world peace and have often served with Australian service personnel in parts of the world that are far from Holland and Australia.

Earlier this month, we were honoured to welcome their Majesties the King and Queen of the Netherlands during their state visit to Australia. I note that they were accompanied by the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Bert Koenders. It is all about ensuring that we take every trade and economic opportunity possible with our connections to Europe. I am sure the more than 300,000 Australians who claim Dutch heritage are supportive of that, and this new declaration of intent, as detailed by the member for Forde, builds on this already close relationship between Australia and the Netherlands, a connection that in Queensland goes back to 1606, when the United East India Company ship Duyfken first made contact with the Indigenous people of Australia—the oldest civilisation in the world making contact with some of the world's best traders back in 1606 up at Mapoon.

The other connection, a little bit later, was on 25 October 1616 in Western Australia in Shark Bay, where Dirk Hartog made contact on his ship, the Eendracht, on an island now called Dirk Hartog Island, although the Indigenous people of Western Australia probably called it something else for 30,000 or 40,000 years beforehand. It is a 620-kilometre square island. When Dirk Hartog and a couple of the dignitaries on board nailed a pewter plate to the post, arguably under some law they were making a claim to that land, although I think some British gunboats later down the track might have said that they did not recognise that claim. But there was that suggestion that Dirk Hartog, who had actually been blown off course, was perhaps appeasing some of the paying members of his ship by saying, 'Yeah, yeah—here's your name on a pewter plate.' I think it has actually ended up in a museum in Holland, recognising that connection.

In more recent times the Dutch have been the fourth-largest source of foreign direct investment in Australia. And we still have that healthy two-way trading relationship of over $6 billion. Obviously, there is much potential for us to explore: there is the Dutch-speaking community in Australia and the Dutch heritage, whether that be through people like the member for Forde, which makes connections with Europe. Obviously, we have many products that can be sold into Europe through the ports of Holland.

Tragically, we are also bonded over other aspects, such as looking for the victims who were in the tragic downing of MH 17. But it goes back beyond that to when many Australians opened their doors to the Dutch who had been devastated by World War II. Many took the time and had the courage to get on a ship and come to the other side of the world, and helped to make multicultural Australia a stronger place. I know that I have a very strong Dutch community, and I am sure that this new declaration will build on the already close relationship between our two nations.

Debate adjourned.