Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, about Tibet. Decisions regarding the selection, education and veneration of Tibetan Buddhist religious leaders are exclusively spiritual matters that should be made by the appropriate religious authorities within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and in the context of the will of practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism. Foreign Minister, in your conversations with representatives of the Chinese government, what are you doing to ensure that these practices are protected in Tibet and to ensure that the Chinese government does not have a role in the selection of the next Dalai Lama?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Rice for her question, and I also acknowledge that she is one of the co-chairs of the Australian All Party Parliamentary Friends of Tibet, as are my colleague Ms Templeman and, I think, Senator Dean Smith. Thank you for your work in that context. As I said to representatives of the Tibetan community with whom I met today—and I've met with a number of them previously—it's a very important part of engagement to have parliamentary groups whose members are, obviously, able as parliamentarians to engage with members of the community and to make statements. I understand that statements were made, although I wasn't, obviously, present at your media conference.

It is the case that we are concerned about the erosion of rights and freedoms in Tibet, and we, in our engagement with our counterparts at a number of levels, continue to raise concerns with the representatives of the Chinese government about the erosion of rights and freedoms in Tibet. We are gravely concerned by disturbing reports of the separation of Tibetan children from their families, the detention of Tibetans for peaceful expression of political views and the suppression of Tibetan religious expression, as well as what are described as excessive security measures.

We have raised our concerns with counterparts, and I would say that this is the first time an Australian government has done this. Australia raised our concerns in our national statement at the Human Rights Council in March, and I again say that that is the first time an Australian government has done that. In part, I would credit not just the parliamentary friends but also members of the community for their advocacy.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Rice, first supplementary?

Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Foreign Minister. I'd like to know whether you have received anything of any substance from the Chinese government regarding the repression of human rights and freedom in Tibet and the Sinicisation of Tibetan culture. I would also draw your attention back to the key issue in my first question, which was about the Dalai Lama and what, if anything, you have received from the Chinese government in terms of their involvement in the selection of the next Dalai Lama.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As Senator Rice would be aware, I have spoken in this chamber and publicly about the importance of dialogue and engagement with China, but I've also spoken about the challenges of navigating that relationship. Obviously, there are differences which have to be managed, and those differences include a difference of views about political systems. The term of the question appears to suggest that these are matters we can obtain an outcome about within China. What we can do is to advocate, and we are seeking to do that both bilaterally and through multilateral processes. I think that advocacy matters in the international community, but, obviously, I appreciate that others would like a— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Rice, second supplementary?

Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, six UN special rapporteurs have written to the Chinese government about forced labour in Tibet, raising concerns about the extensive labour transfer program in the Tibet Autonomous Region placing rural workers into low-skilled and low-paid industrial jobs and allegedly eroding Tibetan minority languages, cultural practices and religion. Will the government implement a ban on the import of goods produced by forced labour as agreed to in the ALP National Conference platform, given that Labor voted in support of this ban whilst in opposition?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Rice. Prior to the election, we announced a strengthening of the modern slavery framework. I was part of the discussion about that after engaging with civil society advocates, including Walk Free. The approach we are taking is to work to strengthen our domestic framework so that we can ensure, as far as we are able, that Australian consumers can have confidence in the supply chains of products that they buy and goods and services that they purchase from whichever jurisdiction. I don't think there's anyone in Australia who would advocate or believe that it is acceptable for us or for companies to profit from forced labour. The approach we are taking is the Modern Slavery Act. The Attorney-General is leading that. A review has been conducted, and the government will formulate its response in relation to that review.