Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 21 standing in my name relating to the Arctic 30.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended and circulated in the chamber:

That the Senate—

(a) supports the right to free assembly and peaceful protest;

(b) notes:

(i) with deep concern Russia's disproportionate charges of hooliganism against two journalists and 28 crew of the Greenpeace vessel Arctic Sunrise (the Arctic 30) who were peacefully protesting against oil drilling in the Pechora Sea, and

(ii) the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea's binding ruling which orders the release of the Arctic 30 following payment of a bank guarantee by the Government of the Netherlands to allow them to leave the territory and maritime areas under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation; and

(c) urges the Prime Minister (Mr Abbott) and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ms Bishop) to be in continuous, direct contact with the Russian Government to urge it to abide by the tribunal's ruling and help ensure that Australian citizen Colin Russell and the other 29 individuals no longer face these disproportionate charges and are permitted to return to their homes.