Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party) | Hansard source

ANDREWS () (): On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, I present the committee's report entitled First periodic report on human rights: Final report into certain aspects of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade annual report 2019-20.

Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e).

by leave—This report outlines the range of issues the committee has considered during this term of parliament and is, importantly, intended as a precedent for future periodic reports to the parliament about human rights matters. During this parliament, the committee has proposed Magnitsky-type legislation for Australia, which has subsequently been adopted by the parliament; made recommendations about the human rights of women and girls in the Pacific; and proposed measures to help eliminate child and forced marriage. The Human Rights Subcommittee has also held many private briefings and public roundtables on specific issues. However, to date, it has not tabled a general report on human rights issues.

Periodic reporting of human rights will help ensure that the voices of the most marginalised and persecuted populations can be heard and that their concerns are placed on the public record. It was specifically determined by the committee to entitle this the 'first periodic report' in the hope and expectation that in subsequent parliaments there will be periodic, if not annual, reports to the parliament on the range of human rights issues that are examined by the committee. We all sincerely hope that that comes to pass.

Can I thank all the people who submitted to the committee over the course of this parliament. I particularly thank the members of the committee and the secretariat. In thanking the members of the committee, can I think in particular the deputy chair, the honourable member for Fowler, my friend and colleague Chris Hayes. I commend the report to the House.

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