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

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 597 relating to the need for the Sri Lankan government to treat the Tamil people who are currently being held, and others, in a better fashion.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a)

agrees with the recent European Union resolution on Sri Lanka of 22 October 2009, that:

(i)

deplores the fact that more than 220 000 Tamil civilians are still being held in camps, and urges the Sri Lankan Government, in line with its public commitments, to return them to their homes and give humanitarian organisations free access to the camps and areas of return to provide necessary humanitarian assistance,

(ii)

Tamil leaders should commit themselves to a political settlement and renounce terrorism and violence once and for all,

(iii)

the Sri Lankan Government should respect human rights in the conduct of trials of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam members,

(iv)

the Sri Lankan Government should cease its repression of the media in the name of its anti-terrorist legislation, and

(v)

the Sri Lankan Government should put more effort into clearing minefields, which are a serious obstacle to reconstruction and economic recovery; and

(b)

urges Sri Lanka to accede to the Ottawa Treaty (Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction).

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

I seek leave to make a very short statement.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

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

The government cannot support the proposed motion. As you know, we have a longstanding view about trying to deal with complex international matters by way of short motions seeking formality. I refer the Senate to the ministerial statement on the subject, dated 4 September, from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Smith. We take this debate seriously, we take the parliament seriously, and because of that Mr Smith sought to make a full ministerial statement to the parliament in September.

I have visited Sri Lanka in recent months and we continue to be very much focused on the return of democracy, the rule of law, security and a strong civil society in Sri Lanka. We will be working with the Sri Lankan government and international partners to ensure a good outcome in Sri Lanka. We appreciate the concerns that the Greens express but, as I said, we think this is not the appropriate way to deal with what are very complex foreign affairs matters.

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

I also seek leave to make a brief statement.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

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

As I have said on previous occasions, the opposition does not support policy on the run on the floor of the chamber when it comes to foreign affairs matters. I support and endorse the comments of Senator Evans, and the opposition will not be supporting this motion.

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

I seek leave to respond.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

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

I do not accept either of those submissions. This is similar to a motion which has passed the European parliament. If 28 or so parties in the European parliament can apply themselves to matters in Sri Lanka, on the other side of the planet, I fail to see how the coalition and the government, three parties in this Senate, cannot equally apply themselves having been given more time. That is a nonsense. The problem is that we are now dealing with asylum seekers fleeing from pretty terrible post-war conditions in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan government needs to adhere to the international norms, including human rights and the right of people to be resettled. Amongst other things, this motion calls for a prohibition, through the accession to the Ottawa treaty, on antipersonnel mines. This motion is very clearly weighted towards a reasonable call to the Sri Lankan government to treat the Tamil people with greater respect and humanity. It ought to be supported. I make no apology to the government or the opposition for bringing forward this important motion to the Senate if they cannot make up their minds on this matter.

Question put:

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