Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 136 standing in my name for today relating to the Biennale of Sydney and events surrounding Transfield's sponsorship of that with regard to their work with refugees.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) Transfield Holdings is a major sponsor of the 19th Biennale of Sydney,

(ii) Transfield Holdings is a shareholder in Transfield Services,

(iii) Transfield Services is being paid $1.22 billion by the Australian Government to run offshore detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru,

(iv) five artists have pulled out of the Biennale of Sydney because of Transfield’s links to Australia’s cruel mandatory detention policies, and

(v) 28 Biennale artists have written to the Biennale board, urging it to cut ties with Transfield and to find new sponsors; and

(b) commends the courage and commitment to human rights of the Biennale artists who have both written to the board requesting new sponsors and the artists who have pulled out of the Biennale of Sydney.