Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 3 May 2012:

(1)   Is an Australian business delegation to Burma being organised by the department or by the Australian ambassador to Burma; if so:

(a)   which Australian companies are invited to participate on the delegation;

(b)   with whom will the delegation meet;

(c)   on what dates will the delegation travel to Burma and to which locales within the country; and

(d)   what amount has the Government budgeted to facilitate the delegation.

(2)   What measures will be in place to ensure that:

(a)   deals undertaken by Australian businesses are reversible to be consistent with the Government's position, that sanctions will return if democratic reforms do not progress; and

(b)   Australian companies are not engaging in industries or projects in Burma that are linked to human rights abuses.

(3)   Why is the Government normalising business relationships with Burma given the highly undemocratic nature of the constitution, ongoing military offensives against ethnic minorities in the north and east of the country and the large number of political prisoners who remain incarcerated.