John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to incorporate some additional information in relation to a question and a supplementary question from Senator Murray on Zimbabwe asked in question time yesterday.

Leave granted.

The answer read as follows—

Additional response from Senator Faulkner to a question from Senator Andrew Murray on Zimbabwe asked in Senate Question time on 24 June.

Senator Murray asked: Are there any changes to Australian legislation or policy being contemplated by the government to implement ‘responsibility to protect’ measures and principles? If there are not, will the government undertake to have a look at them and report back to the Senate in due course as to whether they do intend to implement changes to Australian legislation or policy?

The responsibility to protect principle is an emerging legal concept focused on a state’s responsibility to protect its citizens from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing or crimes against humanity.

It is at this stage an emerging doctrine, and one that Australia supports, however non-consensual action invoking the responsibility to protect principle requires UN Security Council authorisation.

When the Prime Minister met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York in March this year he announced a $5 million package of support for conflict prevention, including support for the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect principle.

The Government is considering what further measures it might take to assist in the development and implementation of the doctrine.