Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) congratulates the Right Honourable Patricia Scotland on her selection at the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) as the 6th Commonwealth Secretary-General; and

(b) notes the 2015 CHOGM Communique which states:

(i) the Commonwealth Heads of Government reaffirmed their shared and enduring commitment on behalf of the people of the Commonwealth to the values and principles of the Commonwealth Charter,

(ii) that young people, who comprise sixty percent of the Commonwealth's population, have an important role in building stable, secure and prosperous societies, and that Commonwealth programs can help raise awareness of the risk of radicalisation and prevent young people from embracing violent extremism, radicalisation and terrorism in all its forms,

(iii) That the Commonwealth recognises that freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and freedom of religion and belief are cornerstones of democratic societies, and important for the enjoyment of all human rights, and

(iv) that good governance and respect for the rule of law are vital for stable and prosperous societies.

Question agreed to.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We now move to No. 1000—lucky 1000!