Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 829 standing in my name today relating to funding for family planning in low-income countries and Millennium Development Goals.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

  (a)   notes that:

     (i)   family planning is key to achieving all Millennium Development Goals, especially Goal

5 which seeks to reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters and is the least likely goal to be achieved;

     (ii)   maternal mortality is a leading cause of death and illness for all women worldwide, with complications during pregnancy the biggest killer of girls aged 15 to 19;

     (iii)   over 200 million women who want to avoid pregnancy are not using a modern method

of family planning;

     (iv)   in line with the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women,all couples and individuals should have the right to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so;

     (v)   at the london Summit on Family Planning, hosted by the United Kingdom Government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in July 2012, the Australian government announced it will double its funding for family planning services to more than

$50 million per year by 2016, up from $26 million in 2010; and

  (b)   calls on the Government to continue to fund family planning,including funding for initiatives that assist developing country governments to improve access and reduce barriers to family planning in the 2012-13 budget and beyond.

Question agreed to.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement of no longer than two minutes.

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

Leave is granted for one minute.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr President. I want it noted that the coalition voted no on that motion. It is an issue of great concern to so many people on this side. Those who delivered their names to be noted as voting no, amongst so many others who would say no, are: Senator Boswell, who holds this issue extremely near and dear to his honourable time in this place; Senator Bernardi; Senator Abetz; Senator Sinodinos; Senator Cormann; Senator Fierravanti-Wells; Senator Bushby; Senator Parry; Senator Cash; Senator Smith; Senator 'Wacca' Williams; myself and many others. We find it extremely concerning when issues which should rightly be the realm of conscience votes come in here and start to be shanghaied around. I think we deserve the dignity of time and consideration that these issues undoubtedly require.