Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's been more than a month now since the military coup of 1 February 2021 in Myanmar and the subsequent detention of political figures. We have seen deeply distressing and deeply disturbing images of the beatings and the bashings, and we hear stories of the kidnappings as well. The authorities have opened fire on protesters, and we have seen time and again some truly shocking events. These events are a direct attack on Myanmar's democratic transition. We want to see the democracy of that country progressed and advanced, not undermined. That's why the Australian government must do more to work with allied and aligned nations to make clear our expectations that democratic norms are respected and strengthened.

In the immediate aftermath of this coup, we called on the government to review defence cooperation with Myanmar, and we have subsequently supported the steps that the government has taken to suspend that cooperation program at the defence level as well as the redirection of humanitarian aid. It's crucially important here that Australia and Australians aren't bystanders when it comes to this disgraceful coup. We need to stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and ensure that the bilateral relationship will not return to business as usual until democracy is restored and political prisoners are released. We need to look at other areas of bilateral cooperation and review those, and we need to consider additional targeted sanctions where they are appropriate. We want that country to be led in a democratic way following the democratic norms and institutions and processes on the path that that country was on before this coup took place.

I wanted to put on the parliamentary record my appreciation for the opportunity—first in Logan last month at a meeting convened in my office, and then yesterday here in Canberra in my parliamentary office—to speak with representatives of the local communities who have been so deeply affected by what's happening to their loved ones in Myanmar. I wanted to assure them that we stand in solidarity with them in the aftermath of this unacceptable coup and seeing all of these images of the beatings and bashings and kidnappings, we want to see democracy advanced, not undermined and we should be considering ways to do more to support you.