Senate debates
Thursday, 12 March 2009
Burma
10:08 am
Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 385 standing in my name.
Leave granted.
I thank the Senate. I amend the motion in the terms circulated in the chamber and I move:
- That the Senate—
- (a)
- notes the presence in the chamber during question time on Thursday, 12 March 2009, of three members of the Parliament of Burma, democratically-elected in the 1990 election but denied the right to exercise their mandate; and
- (b)
- expresses its support for the democratic aspirations of the people of Burma.
Question agreed to.
I move:
- That the Senate—
- (a)
- notes that:
- (i)
- 13 March is recognised as Burma Human Rights Day,
- (ii)
- the global campaign ‘Free Burma’s Political Prisoners Now!’ will commence on 13 March 2009,
- (iii)
- the democratically-elected parliament was not convened in Burma after the 1990 election, and
- (iv)
- the referendum on the current constitution held immediately following Cyclone Nargis was a sham and the result cannot be considered credible;
- (b)
- calls on the Australian Government to:
- (i)
- use all diplomatic means to encourage the Burmese regime to make meaningful progress towards democracy and to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
- (ii)
- refuse to endorse the outcomes of the election in 2010 unless the political climate improves in Burma,
- (iii)
- press the Burmese regime to engage in genuine multi-party talks leading to an inclusive, open and transparent political process, including constitutional reform, and
- (iv)
- engage other nations through the United Nations and other multilateral fora to press for multiparty talks and an inclusive, open and transparent political process; and
- (c)
- expresses its support for the democratic aspirations of the people of Burma.
- (c)expresses its support for the democratic aspirations of the people of Burma.
Question agreed to.