Sharon Grierson (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister please update the House on developments in Zimbabwe?

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. Members would of course be aware that on 29 March both parliamentary and presidential elections were conducted in Zimbabwe. Regrettably, the presidential results were not finally published until 2 May and now a scheduled second-round run-off is listed for 27 June, some three months after the original parliamentary and presidential elections on 29 March. That is three months where we have seen the brutal Mugabe regime firstly seeking to rort an election through counting means and now seeking to perpetrate intimidation and violence during the second-round election on 27 June. Australia remains very concerned that we will not see anything near a full, free and fair election in Zimbabwe. Members would of course be aware that under the Zimbabwe constitution and electoral laws this second-round run-off ought to have been held within three weeks of the first round, not three months subsequent to it.

The Australian government has been very active both in the international community and in Africa in making these points strongly to Zimbabwe’s neighbours, particularly members of the African Union and the Southern African Development Community states. I have spoken variously to my counterparts from South Africa, Zambia and Tanzania and to the Vice-President of Botswana. I have of course also been in regular contact with the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, which, like Australia, shares an interest in Zimbabwe as a member of the Commonwealth.

The Australian government of course welcomes very much the recent announcement by SADC, the Southern African Development Community, that it will substantially increase the number of election observers for the forthcoming 27 June presidential run-off. As I have indicated publicly on any number of occasions, Australia stands ready, willing and able to also supply election observers if we are so asked. Frankly, I do not think that request will come, because the brutal Mugabe regime has made it clear that it is not proposing to seek any assistance from those nation states that have been critical of the process.

Hopefully the return of the opposition leader, Mr Tsvangirai, for the next six weeks for the purposes of the election campaign will be a new stage in this electoral process. We hope very much that Zimbabwe’s neighbouring states will bring as much pressure to bear as they can on the regime to lead us somewhere towards the chance for a free and fair election in Zimbabwe.

I have indicated to the House that Australia’s offer of election observers is there. Members would of course be aware that Australia, under governments of both political persuasions, has always made the point that we make a contribution so far as humanitarian assistance is concerned to the people of Zimbabwe, whether it is food or other humanitarian assistance, and this of course is ongoing. Our attitude to that is not in any way deterred by the actions or the attitude of the brutal Mugabe regime. The Australian government remains very concerned. We hope there is some prospect of improvement so far as the Zimbabwe situation is concerned, and we stand ready, willing and able to render assistance if so asked by Zimbabwe, the African Union or the Southern African Development Community states.