Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I table a petitioning document, relating to the war in Darfur, which is a non-conforming petition and has been put through both whips. I now seek leave to make a short statement of no longer than 60 seconds.

Leave granted.

I thank the Senate. I know this is slightly unorthodox. This is a petition that has been brought forward by the Darfur action network and I strongly commend them and their volunteers for the work they have done bringing this forward.

Since 2003 a horrific war has raged across Darfur and, despite the 2006 peace process, violence continues to wreak havoc on innocent civilians across the western region of Sudan. There are nearly 1,200 people who have signed up to the petition. It calls on the Australian government to use its membership of the United Nations Security Council, which is really a precious opportunity—and particularly its presidency for the month of November—to take action on Darfur.

Specifically, the petition requests that the UN act to ensure safe access of humanitarian aid, strengthen the mandated UN-AU mission in Darfur, demand all stakeholders participate in a holistic peace process and support the successful prosecution of perpetrators by providing investigation funding for the International Criminal Court. I thank the chamber for the opportunity to present this petition on behalf of the Darfur action network.