Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that general business notice of motion 158, standing in my name for today, relating to West Papua, be taken as a formal motion.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My understanding is that we are going to deny formality, but Senator Di Natale wants to seek leave to then speak for a minute.

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

Formality is denied.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Rather than suspending standing orders, I seek leave to make a one minute statement.

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

Leave is granted for one minute.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is disappointing that once again the government is denying the Greens the opportunity to put forward a motion on foreign policy. We think this is an appropriate form in which to do it. Today is the day of the national flag of West Papua. It is a day that is celebrated in West Papua, where there is a community whose human rights are being oppressed, where we are seeing political prisoners imprisoned at an alarming rate and where reports from Amnesty International indicate that the situation is getting worse rather than better. What the Greens are urging for here is to open up West Papua to human rights monitors, to deal with the issue of political prisoners and for Australia to show some leadership on the international stage. We urge that issues like this are allowed to be put forward through motions so that we do not have to endure more suspensions of standing orders.