Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I present a petition with 22,470 signatures calling for the end of the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. The petition states that Falun Gong is a peaceful meditation practice based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance and that, since July 1999, millions of Falun Gong practitioners in China have been fired, jailed, tortured or killed. In particular, the petition calls on the Australian government to: firstly, pass a motion or statement to openly request an immediate end to the 20-year persecution of Falun Gong in China and the immediate release of all Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners of conscience; secondly, urge China to immediately end the practice of organ harvesting from all prisoners of conscience and conduct a thorough public education campaign to ensure Australians do not unknowingly participate in forced organ harvesting in China; and, thirdly, deny visas and bar entry to Chinese officials and policemen who are involved in the persecution of Falun Gong.

I ask for the petition to be referred to the Petitions Committee for their consideration.

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

That will happen.