Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senators Moore and Humphries, I move:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

the right to life is a fundamental human right recognised in:

(a)

the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and

(b)

the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

(ii)

respect for human life and dignity are values common to all Australians,

(iii)

abhorrence of the death penalty is a fundamental value in Australian society, and

(iv)

Australia is a party to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which is aimed at the universal abolition of the death penalty; and

(b)

calls on all governments to follow the example recently set by Uzbekistan, Argentina and Togo and immediately cease all executions.

Question agreed to.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Greens obviously support this motion because we believe that we need to be doing more to encourage countries right around the world to abolish the death penalty. I think it is in complete contradiction that the government insist that they are happy to make generic statements, which are simply wishy-washy, in our international negotiations and discussions in encouraging other countries to abolish this inhumane treatment, which is obviously against various UN conventions, yet vote down motions on and not have the guts to name countries such as Vietnam and speak directly to them about abolishing the death penalty. It seems a complete contradiction that the government and the opposition could not support the motion relating to the death penalty in Vietnam but they are more than happy to put up a wishy-washy motion, which actually does nothing, and support it.