Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Evans, and refers to the Prime Minister’s upcoming visit to the United Nations, where he will lobby for a temporary seat on the United Nations Security Council for Australia in 2013-14. I ask the minister: how much does the government intend to spend on the candidacy for a seat on the UN Security Council? Further, what changes will be made to Australia’s foreign policy priorities and focus as a result of the bid for a temporary seat on the Security Council?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Payne for her question. As she rightly points out, the government has taken a decision to seek a seat on the UN Security Council. That is a process which involves a great deal of preparatory work in talking to the members of the UN General Assembly about one’s candidature and canvassing support. I am sure it is a process that Senator Payne is well aware of—similar processes occur inside politics more generally.

That process has commenced and there is a section inside the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade—perhaps Senator Faulkner would know more about this than me—which has been tasked with coordinating that campaign for promoting a candidacy. In fact, Mr Potts, the Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues is engaged in that. On my recent trip to South-East Asia with him, he engaged in some discussions promoting Australia’s interests in that regard.

Certainly we will incur costs in relation to that. They are mainly costs relating to the time and effort of public servants engaged in that activity. There will be perhaps some costs in terms of people visiting other countries, seeking support and talking to people about the issues involved. Senator Payne, I will have to get whatever details I can for you on that—I do not have any information as to what that would be. I suspect there will not be any detailed information as yet given the candidacy is relatively recent and there is quite a period until the decision is taken. But it is the case that this government is keen to re-energise our engagement with the United Nations. We have indicated that it is one of the three pillars of the government’s foreign policy, and we think we ought to be taking a much stronger interest in the UN than perhaps was the case under the previous government, although former Senator Hill is actively engaged in pursuing our interest in the UN. When I saw him the other day he seemed to be quite enjoying his new life outside of the Senate—he was looking almost as relaxed as Senator Ellison is beginning to.

It is the case that we will incur costs in supporting the candidacy. I would mention that next week the Prime Minister will be attending the United Nations General Assembly with, I understand, over 130 other world leaders. While he has got a very large agenda pursuing bilateral issues as well as his involvement with the United Nations General Assembly, no doubt some of that engagement next week will involve considering the promotion of our interest in securing a spot on the UN Security Council. I will see what other information I can get for you in terms of your primary question and advise the Senate as soon as I can.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for the information he has provided. In his response, the minister adverted to a great deal of preparatory work having to be done for the bid and to a dedicated section in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade being established to pursue the bid. He also made reference to the costs being related to the time and effort of public servants. Can the minister advise whether this means that already scarce resources in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have been diverted from elsewhere to address this bid? What particular areas of the department may suffer as a result of any redirection that may occur? How does the government expect the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, given the significant budget cuts in staffing and resources that it has endured, to manage a campaign of this size?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In response to the supplementary question, I suspect that the representative of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Faulkner, might have been able to help with more specific information. But, as I understand it, from talking to Mr Potts recently, the current allocation of resources is fairly modest but will grow as the bid develops. We very much see this as central to our more general work in engaging with the UN and pursuing our foreign affairs interests. I do not see this effort as being separate or divorced from our more general foreign affairs objectives but, as I say, if there is more information on resource issues that I can get, I will provide that to the senator as soon as possible.