Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I add the name of Senator Moore to this motion. At the request of Senators Bilyk and Moore, I move:

That the Senate—

  (a) notes that:

     (i) 10 December 2018 marks 70 years since the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR),

     (ii) the UDHR is a non-binding international agreement which states the basic rights and fundamental freedoms to which all human beings are entitled, and

     (iii) over the past 70 years the UDHR has had an important influence on the development of international human rights law, and led to a range of other important binding international agreements, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;

  (b) celebrates the vital role of the UDHR in the advancement of human rights over the past 70 years; and

  (c) calls on the Australian Government, and all future Australian Governments, to observe and uphold human rights in their decisions.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 10 December Australia will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the UN General Assembly. This important document recognising human rights as universal, indivisible and inalienable lies at the heart of the international human rights system. Australia had an instrumental role in developing the declaration. We are particularly proud of the contribution of the then Minister for External Affairs, 'Doc' Evatt, who saw human rights as important in redefining the relationship between nations, communities and individuals. As an active member of the UN Human Rights Council for the first time, Australia will continue its advocacy on the protection and promotion of human rights internationally.

Question agreed to.