Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the 'Declaration of Intent on a Strategic Dialogue' between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Netherlands was signed by Foreign Minister Bishop and Foreign Minister Koenders on 2 November 2016, in Canberra;

(b) the Declaration has been updated from the one signed in February 2014 by Foreign Minister Bishop and the then Foreign Minister Timmermans to reflect current events and increased closeness between our two countries through our shared commitment to achieve accountability with respect to the downing of MH17; and

(c) the Declaration commits Australia and the Netherlands to enhanced cooperation on international security, trade and investment, human rights and development issues; and

(2) welcomes enhanced economic and security cooperation between Australia and the Netherlands.

It is with great pleasure that I rise in the House today to speak on the Declaration of Intent on a Strategic Dialogue between Australia and the Netherlands. The Declaration of Intent on a Strategic Dialogue was signed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, and Netherlands Minister of Foreign Affairs Koenders on 2 November 2016. The declaration has been updated, from one signed in February 2014, to reflect current events and the increased closeness between our two countries through our shared commitment to achieve accountability with respect to the downing of MH17. The declaration commits Australia and the Netherlands to an enhanced cooperation on international security, trade and investment, human rights and development issues, and welcomes enhanced economic and security cooperation between Australia and the Netherlands.

The close relationship Australia and the Netherlands is shared and grounded in our common values, including democracy, human rights, free trade and a rules-based international order. It is interesting to reflect that the Netherlands is probably one of the oldest democracies in the world. As somebody who is a first generation descendant of parents who came out from the Netherlands in the 1960s, is a great pleasure to be speaking on this motion.

Earlier this month we were honoured to welcome Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Netherlands during their state visit to Australia. They were accompanied by the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Bert Koenders. The visit provided the opportunity for our Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, to sign the new Declaration of Intent on a Strategic Dialogue, which commits us to enhanced cooperation on international security, trade and investment, as well as human rights and development issues.

More than 300,000 Australians claim Dutch heritage, myself included. This new declaration of intent builds on that already close relationship between Australia and the Netherlands. Looking at my electorate, which covers both part of Logan City and part of the Gold Coast, people of Dutch heritage appear in the top 10 per cent of people who live in those communities—about two per cent of the population in each community.

The declaration highlights the strong political, economic and cultural ties between Australia and the Netherlands. As our fourth largest source of foreign direct investment, we enjoy a healthy two-way trading relationship of over $6 billion annually. But there is the potential for us to do much more.

While we talk about current-day events, the close ties between Australia and the Netherlands have developed through history, from 1606, when Dutch East India Company ship Duyfken first made contact with Indigenous Australians at Mapoon on Cape York, to the migration in the 20th century. Many Dutch migrants moved to Australia after World War II, when the Dutch government actively encouraged emigration to relieve housing shortages and economic distress. We have a shared heritage of values and a strong trade partnership.

In more recent times, the relationship between Australia and the Netherlands has grown quite close in our combined efforts to seek justice for the victims and loved ones affected by the tragic downing of MH17. Our two countries have shared in our grief at the loss of so many people from our respective countries and, together with other grieving countries, we have united in our intention to hold those responsible for this tragedy to account.

With the signing of the new declaration, I am confident that this already close relationship between our two nations will further deepen through close cooperation and collaboration. I commend the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Bert Koenders, and our Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, for their commitment to strengthening an enduring relationship between Australia and the Netherlands. I commend this motion to the House.

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