Andrew Bartlett (Queensland, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs. It regards circumstances surrounding West Papuan related issues. I note reports that surveillance by Australian authorities as well as Indonesian authorities has been stepped up to stop Papuans from fleeing to seek asylum, with an escalation of Australian air and sea patrols as well as the placing of Indonesia border troops on high alert. Given that the Australian government has formally recognised that a genuine risk of persecution exists for those refugees who recently fled West Papua, what is the Australian government doing to ensure that those who remain in that region are not also subject to persecution? I appreciate the sensitivities around the issue and the importance of trying to maintain good relations with Indonesia, but I ask the minister: how is the Australian government working to have the persecution which now indisputably exists reduced rather than just working with Indonesia to prevent any other refugees from escaping these dangers?