Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a)

remembers the thousands of people who were killed 20 years ago on 4 June 1989 in the Tiananmen Square massacre;

(b)

supports the pro-democracy and pro-human rights principles outlined in Charter 08, which has been written by prominent Chinese academics and activists; and

(c)

condemns the detention and interrogation of signatories to the Charter 08 by Chinese authorities, including the continued detention of acclaimed author Liu Xiaobo.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—The Australian government cannot, unfortunately, support the proposed notice of motion in its current form. The Australian government would like again to place on the record its objection to dealing with complex international matters such as the one before us by means of formal motions. Such motions are a blunt instrument. They force parties into black and white choices to support or oppose. They do not lend themselves to the nuances which are so necessary in this area of policy. In addition, they can be and are too often easily misinterpreted by some audiences as statements of policy by the national government. The Australian government is happy to work with the minor parties, particularly the Greens, on notices of motion of this particular nature, but we will not support notices of motion in the Senate unless we are completely satisfied with their content.

The government’s views on the tragic events of 4 June 1989 are on the public record. The Prime Minister made a statement in parliament on 4 June 2009 remembering those who lost their lives on 4 June 1989. Australia will continue to engage frankly with China on questions of human rights, including at high-level meetings and through the Australia-China Human Rights Dialogue. The government believes the best way to encourage China to make further progress on human rights issues is through these channels and not through public condemnation.

While there have been many positive steps on human rights in China since 1989, there is, in Australia’s view, considerable room for further progress. The Australian government encourages China to address the concerns raised by the authors of Charter 08. The government will continue to make representations to China on the detention of Charter 08 signatories and others who were exercising internationally recognised liberties, including freedom of speech. Australia again calls for the release of internationally acclaimed author Liu Xiaobo.

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I place on record the coalition’s views on this notice of motion. Like the government, we believe that complex foreign affairs matters should not be the subject of a brief notice of motion in this chamber. They need full and thorough analysis, and consideration needs to be given on many fronts in relation to this. In that regard, we support the comments of the government. I also note that our leader, Mr Malcolm Turnbull, made similar comments on the same occasion in the other chamber just after the Prime Minister.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—What arrant hypocrisy we are seeing from the big parties in this chamber right now! They have just put forward motions congratulating the people of Poland, quite rightly—and we supported them—for taking off the yoke of jackboot communism and for finding their freedom and their democracy. The government motion congratulated the people of Poland for their courageous struggle. The opposition motion acknowledged Poland’s tremendous contribution to the fall of communism in Europe and noted its democratic achievements, particularly that the people of Poland resolutely voted to restore their senate and reinstate the accountability and transparency of their government.

But, when it comes to taking on Chinese jackboot communism, suppression of democrats and the massacre of peaceful citizens in China aspiring for exactly the same thing that the Poles achieved 20 years ago, this government and this opposition resile from it, back off from it, will not stand up for it, sell out on it and use double standards that they should be ashamed of. How dare the government and the opposition put up this double standard in this place! How dare they turn their backs on the democrats currently jailed or in labour camps—those that are lucky enough to still be alive—in China! What a rotten response to the responsibility that the government and the opposition should be upholding here today! Democracy, freedom—they have no boundary. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Question put:

That the motion (Senator Bob Brown’s) be agreed to.