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

At the request of Senator Allison, I move:

That the Senate—

(a)

recognises that:

(i)

according to a study conducted by Iraq’s Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation, and also Norway’s Institute for Applied International Studies and the United Nations’ Development Program, the rate of acute malnutrition among children aged 6 months to 5 years has increased to 7.7 per cent in 2006, up from 4 per cent in 2002, and the problem continues to grow,

(ii)

this translates into approximately 400 000 Iraqi children suffering from malnutrition,

(iii)

one in three children in remote areas suffers problems associated with poor diet such as stunted growth and low weight which can irreversibly hamper the young child’s optimal physical, mental and cognitive development, and

(iv)

Iraq’s current food rationing program has not been able to meet many families’ needs, due to Iraq’s continued instability, and the lack of sanitation and clean water; and

(b)

calls on the Government to give this matter its urgent attention in Australia’s current deployment in Iraq and in talks with the Administration of the United States of America, other international agencies and with the new Iraqi Government.

Question negatived.