Annette Hurley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I present the report of the Australian parliamentary delegation to Bhutan and Mongolia that took place from 9 to 21 July 2010. I seek leave to move a motion in relation to the document.

Leave granted.

I move:

That the Senate take note of the document.

The key aim of the delegation was to visit two countries that are relatively new democracies. In particular, the delegation aimed to gain an understanding of political, economic and social issues in both countries and to obtain an insight into Australia's development assistance activities.

Bhutan is a small landlocked country in the eastern Himalayas in South Asia, bordered by India to the south, east and west and by China to the north. Bhutan has recently developed from an absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy. Australia enjoys a modest yet warm relationship with Bhutan, extending back to the early 1960s, with formal diplomatic relations with Bhutan being established in 2002. The initial relationship was based around the provision of aid to Bhutan. The focus of Australia's aid program is now primarily on human resources development. The Australian government will provide approximately $5.3 million in development assistance to Bhutan in 2010-11. Education, through a scholarships program, is the focus of Australia's bilateral assistance to Bhutan. Since 1998, nearly 600 Bhutanese students have studied in Australia through various scholarship schemes. As a result of these scholarship programs there is now a core of Bhutanese senior to mid-level public servants who have been educated in Australia.

The first members of the parliament of Bhutan took their seats in 2008. His Majesty the King of Bhutan has stated that the country's first democratic government has the responsibility of setting the right examples, laying strong foundations and promoting the best practices of democracy. The parliament of Australia is able to assist the parliament of Bhutan in dealing with the steep learning curve it faces in all aspects of operating a parliament. The parliament of Bhutan is seeking guidance and advice, particularly in the areas of legislative drafting, development of procedures for both houses and the development of secretariat support for members of parliament, both houses and parliamentary committees.

The report recommends that the Australian government provide legislative drafting assistance to the parliament of Bhutan. The delegation understands that providing training in drafting is a very resource intensive activity for our agencies; however, that drafting expertise is of vital importance, especially to parliaments that are newly established and still coming to terms with new procedures, practices, roles and responsibilities. The report recognises the value of the Australian parliament's inter­parlia­mentary study program; however, the report recommends that the Australian parliament investigate the provision of more exclusive access to our parliament for senior parliamentary officials from Bhutan. Short-term residencies for several officials, perhaps over a sitting fortnight, may provide unique opportunities for those officials to learn, through shadowing roles, about our parliamentary departmental functions.

Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. Mongolia became a democracy in 1990 after 70 years of Soviet style, single party rule. Australia established diplomatic relations with Mongolia in 1972, with bilateral relations developing further following democratic and free market reforms in Mongolia in the early 1990s. Australia has been a longstanding development partner for Mongolia. Since 1995 Australia has provided more than $50 million in aid to Mongolia. In 2010-11 Australia will provide approximately $7.4 million in aid.

Since 1993 the provision of scholarships to Mongolia has been Australia's primary mode of development assistance. In recent years the number of scholarships has almost doubled. The Mongolia Australian Scholar­ships Program provides 28 Australian Development Scholarships to Mongolians from both the public and private sectors each year. The scholarships program is highly regarded by the Mongolian government, with graduates including current and former ministers, parliamentarians and senior public service officials.

The delegation met with representatives from Australian businesses with a presence in Mongolia. Companies such as Leighton and Rio Tinto now have significant invest­ment in Mongolian mining and resources, particularly through coalmines at Tavan Tolgoi and the substantial copper and gold mine at Oyu Tolgoi in the Gobi Desert. Australian businesses have benefited from the presence of an Austrade official on a trial basis in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar. Australian businesses empha­sised the importance of Australian govern­ment representation in Mongolia and called for, at best, representation through an embassy in Ulaanbaatar and, at a minimum, permanent Austrade representation. The delegation notes that Mongolia established an embassy in Canberra in 2008.

The delegation observed that the most pressing need for larger firms is the presence of high-level advocacy to the Mongolian government. This is particularly important for the protection of current investments and for the support of new ventures. The delegation considers that Australian government representation through an embassy in Ulaanbaatar is necessary for the continued development of a strong relationship between the two countries.

The delegation was very warmly received. I would like to thank the host nations for their friendly hospitality and willingness to share their experiences with us. I would like to thank the many individuals and organi­sations in the host countries who were generous with their hospitality, insight and knowledge. I would also like to thank the other members of the delegation: the Hon. David Hawker MP, the Hon. Bob Debus MP and Mrs Kay Hull MP, all of whom retired at the end of the 42nd Parliament after many years of dedicated parliamentary service. I also particularly want to thank Mr Anthony Overs, secretary to the delegation, for his assistance. I commend the report to the Senate.

Question agreed to.