Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would once again like to bring to the attention of the House the ongoing issue of Taiwan’s application to participate in the World Health Assembly and the World Health Organisation. Last year I tabled a petition with 1,705 signatures in support of Taiwan’s participation. In just one year, the organisation supporting the petition has managed to double that, and this year I will table a petition with 3,321 signatures. The World Health Organisation’s constitution states:

The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.

Good health is a basic right for every citizen in the world, and access to the highest standard of health information and service is necessary to guarantee this right. However, Taiwan, whose population is of a similar size to that of Australia, has been repeatedly denied participation in the World Health Organisation and the World Health Assembly as a result of political pressure from its connected mainland China.

Without access to the WHO’s network of services, Taiwan is significantly impaired in the ability of Taiwanese health authorities to respond to and assist with disease outbreaks, thereby endangering the welfare and health safety of the people of Taiwan. This refers predominantly to infectious disease, which can be spread quickly by international air travel, such as the presently active threat of avian flu. It is the responsibility of all countries to work with the WHO to control and monitor these diseases, irrespective of political preferences.

On its own, Taiwan’s achievement in the field of health is substantial. It includes one of the highest life expectancy levels in Asia, maternal and infant mortality rates comparable to those of Western countries, the eradication of such infectious diseases as cholera, smallpox and the plague, and being the first to be rid of polio and to provide children with free hepatitis B vaccinations.

In recent years Taiwan has shown great compassion towards fellow countries in times of disaster, sending in aid as well as extensive monetary relief. Taiwan is eager to share and exchange its health understanding and expertise. By excluding Taiwan, the WHO is also excluding a vast amount of medical knowledge and expertise that similar advanced societies possess and wish to share. The exclusion of Taiwan is a lose-lose situation, especially with those very nations that led the campaign to exclude Taiwan being the very nations that would benefit most from its inclusion.

The World Health Assembly has allowed observers to participate in activities—organisations including the Palestinian Liberation Organisation in 1974, the Order of Malta, the Holy See, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies—without their being member states. These groups participate as entities in the activities of the WHO, particularly as observers at the WHA. Thus Taiwan’s participation in the WHO as an observer would be supported by precedent.

Various outside-governmental and non-government organisations have publicly expressed their support for Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHO. At the WHA in 2004, Japan, the US, the European Council and others supported Taiwan’s inclusion.

I wish to bring to the attention of the chamber this important petition, which is of very vital interest to numerous members of my constituency.