Melissa Parke (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Next Sunday, 29 May, will be the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. This day is to recognise and celebrate the work of United Nations peacekeepers across the globe. There are currently 122,000 UN peacekeepers involved in 15 separate UN peacekeeping operations. The United Nations continues to represent an evolving and necessary model of global cooperation that takes human endeavour, progress and problem solving beyond the confines of the nation state.

There are a few things about the United Nations that I hope every high school graduate in Australia would know. One would be its historical context—in other words, the fact that it was created in the aftermath of the worst conflict the human race has suffered and as a result of what that conflict implied. The second would be its purpose, which is to be something larger and wiser than a single nation state can be and, therefore, to represent a set of universal values and to bind and coordinate countries in their pursuit of those values. The third would be to recognise Australia's role as an early and active supporter of the United Nations. Australians should be proud that we, an island nation with perhaps more geographical cause to be isolationist than some countries, have been a key player for a country of our size. That is certainly true when it comes to our contribution to United Nations peacekeeping efforts. Since the end of the Second World War, somewhere between 30,000 and 40,000 Australian military personnel and police have been part of more than 50 peacekeeping missions in relation to over 27 separate conflicts. For those members interested, I encourage you to read Australian Peacekeeping: Sixty Years in the Field, edited by David Horner, Peter Londey, and Jean Bou, which is a fantastic collection of essays on this subject collected from papers given at a conference in 2007 at the Australian War Memorial held to mark those 60 years.

I want to express my thanks and support for those Australians who are currently part of our contribution to seven UN peacekeeping operations, namely UNMIS in Sudan, UNAMID in Darfur, UNTSO in the Middle East, UNAMI in Iraq, UNAMA in Afghanistan, UNMIT in Timor-Leste and UNFICYP in Cyprus. I have a number of friends working in these missions from Australia and elsewhere.

The work of a United Nations peacekeeper draws on one's best qualities and one's deepest reservoirs of energy. And if you take on that calling, it puts you shoulder to shoulder with people from around the world who share a commitment to peace and a commitment to fairness and equality through the fellowship of men and women, irrespective of nation, religion, language or gender. It can break your heart—it almost certainly will break your heart—but its lasting personal legacy will be to have shown you, against the background of fear and violence and deprivation, against the background sometimes of humanity at its worst, the infinite potential goodness in people; the shining possibility of people at their best.

The value of Australia's efforts in this area, and of peacekeeping in general, has only increased in the last 20 years. I was pleased to note, courtesy of a typically intelligent and well-referenced essay entitled 'Five Steps to Becoming a More Effective UN Member' by John Langmore, a former member of this place and former President of the United Nations Association of Australia, that in the early 1990s there were more than 50 conflicts causing at least 1,000 annual battle deaths, whereas there were only 36 at the end of 2010. That is progress—and it is progress that diplomacy and peacekeeping have played a large part in achieving.

In Australia, a country that has participated in UN operations since the very beginning, we have made progress and improvements in our approach to peacekeeping. In 1993, following recognition by the Hawke-Keating government that peace operations had special requirements and were of increasing complexity, the ADF Peace Operations Training Centre was established, and it remains the headquarters for developing and managing peace operations policy and training. It was also in 1993 that the Australian War Memorial presented its first exhibition on peacekeeping—with financial input from the three services and also from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. That exhibition marked a turning point in the recognition of peacekeeping within the wider ambit of Australian Defence Force deployments. I am pleased to note that the WA Army Museum located in Fremantle, which is the most significant war museum in Australia outside of Canberra, has a fantastic new post-1945 gallery which contains a comprehensive exhibition on Australian peacekeeping.

Today, when people think about the Australian Defence Force, they often conjure up images of service men and women at work on peacekeeping missions. The armed services are promoted as a vocation that may well involve a substantial amount of work without weapons; that may involve building a bridge or a school or repairing a well or even—as I saw in a picture from last Christmas—making a visit from Father Christmas and his camouflage-wearing elves to the Dominican orphanage in Dili, Timor-Leste, courtesy of an International Stabilisation Force helicopter.

Ironically, the greater public focus on and recognition of ADF peacekeeping that occurred during the 1990s and peaked with our very substantial involvement in East Timor in 1999 actually fell away during the first decade of this century, at least partly because Australia in that time has again been involved in fighting wars. In any case, Australia's participation in both UN and non-UN peacekeeping is ongoing and of course continues to be of great value and impact, especially in those countries in our region where we take a leading role, such as Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands.

A further welcome development on the civilian side is the establishment of the Australian Civilian Corps, a select group of civilian specialists who will deploy to countries experiencing or emerging from natural disaster or conflict in order to support stabilisation, recovery and development planning. It is intended that by 2014 there will be 500 Australians on the Civilian Corps register. This program is managed by AusAID, and I congratulate Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd on this important initiative.

That Australia continues to be one of the 20 highest contributors to UN peacekeeping is and should be a matter of pride. Our financial contributions to United Nations peacekeeping operations amount to some $160 million annually. However it needs to be said that the United Nations current annual peacekeeping budget, at US$7.8 billion, is equivalent to half of one per cent of annual global military spending. The US defence budget alone is 100 times the global peacekeeping budget, and even Australia's defence budget is nearly 3½ times as large. I look forward to the day the resources we devote to peacemaking and peacekeeping are within touching distance of the resources we pour into weapons and war. In their introduction to the book I mentioned earlier,Australian Peacekeeping: Sixty Years in the Field, in the context of how peacekeepers are regarded vis-a-vis personnel deployed for combat, the editors note:

Peacekeeping was less straightforward. Peacekeepers, regardless of the worth of their cause, were not fighting the nation's wars; they were trying to sort out someone else's.

This comparison between fighting a war and trying to settle the aftermath of one clearly points towards a third kind of involvement, which is the active work, or peacemaking, that might be done to anticipate and prevent wars from starting in the first place. As John Langmore points out in his article:

… the first and principal requirement of UN Member States which is to attempt by all reasonable means to avoid the threat or use of force and to seek non-violent means of minimising and resolving conflict.

Of course, diplomatic efforts to prevent war have existed since diplomacy itself, yet the dedicated structures and resources that would constitute peacemaking that springs from a multilateral and humanitarian impetus, rather than from the sovereign self-interest which has been the predominant motivation for seeking peace in the past, do not exist to any great degree.

Norway is a counter example and, as John Langmore points out, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs now includes a Peace and Reconciliation Section, with an annual budget of US$100 million and a mandate to work in collaboration with the new United Nations Mediation Support Unit. As an example of the value of global community effort in resolving a conflict, Langmore notes the international efforts to resolve the conflict between the Luos and the Kikuyu after the presidential election in Kenya, in December 2007, which involved concerted engagement by several countries and international NGOs, led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

In relation to the Australian situation, Langmore says:

As far as I know, not a single Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officer is working full-time on peaceful conflict resolution. The department would have to build its capacity in the field by, for example, establishing a branch of professional staff trained in mediation and the other means suggested in the UN Charter for peaceful settlement of disputes

I agree with John Langmore that Australia is well placed and well suited to consider being even more proactive in the cause of peace and cooperation in the way he suggests—for instance, if modest resources could be found from the defence budget.

Only today the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade inquiry into the 2009-10 DFAT annual report canvassed the enormous disparity in budgetary terms between defence and diplomacy: roughly $27 billion versus $1 billion. In my view, there is no reason why we should not invest in preventative defence in the same way as we do in preventative health.

One of my favourite cartoons from the New Yorker magazine features a man talking to a highly decorated general at a reception, and he is saying to the general: 'Our real first line of defence, wouldn't you agree, is our capacity to reason.' I think that all peacekeepers would agree.

I thank my colleagues for joining me in speaking to this motion. Most importantly, I thank all the UN peacekeepers for their efforts and courage, those from Australia and from all the other contributing nations. I particularly honour those peacekeepers who have lost their lives, and I express here my sorrow and my gratitude to their families.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The 29th of May is the designated date to acknowledge United Nations peacekeepers. It is a time for us to show recognition for the hard work, dedication and risks that UN peacekeepers take. This is a day to honour the memory of the UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the cause of peace and a time to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and who continue to serve in UN peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, courage and dedication. These are people who are genuinely trying to help make the world a safer place, a better place and to ease the burden on those whose lives are worse off because of conflict.

This year also marks a milestone in the history of UN peacekeeping operations, with UN member states commemorating the 60th anniversary of the first UN peacekeeping operation, authorised by the UN Security Council. United Nations peacekeepers are guided by three basic principles: consent of the parties; impartiality; non-use of force, except in self-defence, and defence of the mandate. Peacekeeping operations are deployed on the basis of a mandate from the United Nations Security Council. Over the years, the tasks assigned to the operations have significantly expanded as the conflict patterns change and different threats arise to international peace and security. Since 1948, when the first UN peacekeeping mission was established, more than 2,900 military, police and civilian personnel have lost their lives in the service of peace as a result of acts of violence, accidents and disease. In the past decade alone more than 1,100 UN peacekeepers have died while striving to help those in some of the world's most hostile environments.

In 1988 the UN peacekeeping forces were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in honour of their contribution to reducing tensions under extremely difficult conditions where an armistice has been negotiated but a peace treaty has yet to be established. Today there are 15 UN peacekeeping operations deployed on four continents. These operations not only maintain peace and security but also facilitate the political process; protect civilians; assist in the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of former combatants; support the organisation of elections; protect and promote human rights; and assist in restoring the rule of law.

Australia has been involved with United Nations peacekeeping missions for over 50 years. In Indonesia in 1947 Australians were part of the very first group of UN military observers in the world and in fact were the first into the field. Peacekeeping is not only the work of Australian defence personnel; Australian police have also had an active role since 1964, helping to build bridges between communities all across the world. Since the first Australian peacekeepers in 1947, more than 30,000 Australians have been involved in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.

Peacekeeping is a difficult process, and unfortunately many lives have been lost trying to make the world a safer place. Thirteen Australians have been killed whilst involved in peacekeeping operations. In April this year 28 UN staff and five non-government organisation workers were killed in a plane crash in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and seven international UN staff were killed in an attack in northern Afghanistan—an attack directly against UN personnel and other humanitarian workers. In January 2010 the UN suffered its largest ever loss of staff in the devastating Haiti earthquake, where 100 UN civilian and military peacekeepers from 30 countries were killed. These were people who thought only of bringing good to the world, and their memory will serve to fortify us in carrying on our efforts to help restore dignity to the lives of the world's most vulnerable.

At present there are more than 122,000 military, police and civilian personnel serving in peacekeeping operations, essential security and support to millions of people, 113 of whom are Australians dispersed in 15 UN peacekeeping operations deployed on four continents. These include 14 peace operations and one special political mission in Afghanistan. Australia has been a longstanding supporter of the United Nations. Despite our relative isolation and relatively small population, Australia has contributed mightily to UN peacekeeping efforts. May it long continue.

We continue that tradition today as an active contributor of personnel and financial support to UN and other multilateral peace operations throughout the world. Since the 1970s, Australia's contribution to peacekeeping operations has increased in size and scope. In that decade, and again in the 1980s, RAAF helicopters operated in the Sinai as Egypt and Israel ended three decades of hostilities. At the end of the 1970s an Australian infantry force of 150 soldiers took part in a British Commonwealth operation as Zimbabwe won its independence. Then in the 1980s an even larger contingent, composed largely of engineers, assisted a UN operation with a similar role in Namibia.

However, by far the largest peacekeeping operation was the deployment of 5,500 Australians to East Timor. In August 1999 a UN peace operation, the United Nations Mission in East Timor, was established. But the national vote of independence caused violence and bloodshed amongst the people and in September of the same year Major General Peter Cosgrove contributed more than 5,000 Australian soldiers. Two Australian personnel died during this UN mission: Lance Corporal Russell Eisenhuth in January 2000 and Corporal Stuart Jones in August 2000.

As the member for Riverina, my residence of Wagga Wagga is also home to the Army Recruit Training Centre at Kapooka, the home of the Australian soldier. All regular recruits to the Australian Army do basic training within this important facility. Many past, present and future peacekeepers will have passed or will pass through my electorate. For the privacy of the veterans, most personal information on members of peacekeeping missions is not available to the public. However, I would like to make special mention of Signalman Neil Atkins from Wagga Wagga, who was deployed with the United Nations peacekeeping force in the Western Sahara in 1991. Many men and women from all over the world put their lives at risk working in places others cannot or will not go, committing to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations amongst nations, promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.

On 29 May we must stop, take a minute and thank the efforts of the United Nations and humanitarian workers who provide lifesaving assistance to millions of people around the world, who work in conflict zones and in areas of natural hazards and who place their own lives at risk in the line of duty.

Janelle Saffin (Page, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to commend and thank the honourable member for Fremantle for giving us the opportunity to speak on such an important issue. It really is something which, as members of parliament, we have to be mindful of, particularly on 29 May.

Australia has a long tradition of peacekeeping. The honourable member for Fremantle talked about Norway, how they have a certain area within their foreign affairs dedicated to peace operations, as opposed to peacekeeping within the military and the police. I am aware of the work of that all-agency group in this very important area, which is one we could well explore. Australia contributes significantly to the peacekeeping budget with ADF personnel and AFP and we could play even more of a role.

There are a couple of peacekeeping initiatives. There is the Australian Civilian Corps, a really good initiative which has been set up—I think they have either deployed or are about to be. That corps is another good initiative which can help in general in the peace area, although not entirely. Also there is the Asia-Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence, an initiative set up by this government which is run by the retired Major General Mike Smith. The centre of excellence has an important role to play in preparedness for our ADF and our AFP, and also within the region and some work they are doing in Africa. Major General Mike Smith was involved in UNTAC in Cambodia and also in East Timor. I have worked with him in the field.

That brings me to some of the experiences I had in East Timor from 1999 when INTERFET went in and then there was the peacekeeping mission. I worked with them over a period of years up to 2006, and I was there when the International Stabilisation Force came in, led predominantly through the ADF. Working in that area—I know the honourable member for Fremantle has had these experiences as well—has given me a real insight and a unique experience. One of the difficulties for peacekeepers is that generally they are invited in under a Security Council mandate but they are going into a contested environment. Even if it is the government of the day who invites them in, working in a contested environment—and that is not just for soldiers and police but for the civilians—presents its own set of challenges. In peacekeeping there is a range of issues and challenges and the rule of law is a particular one, among many, that I took quite a strong interest in, because when you are working in the field you do a bit of everything. It is one that peacekeeping and the UN have been seized with since about 1999, but it is one that needs a lot more work. In closing, I too pay tribute to all the men and women in the field, and to those who have lost their lives and to their families I say thank you for doing a hard job, one that we should applaud.

Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australia has a long and proud history of contributing to peacekeeping missions around the world. Our peacekeepers were in fact part of the very first United Nations peacekeeping mission, and the first four Australian military officers who were part of that mission were indeed the first in the field. That is one reason why it is particularly important for us to celebrate the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on Sunday, 29 May. I am honoured to be attending the Brisbane ceremony this weekend at Anzac Square.

Since the very first United Nations peacekeeping mission in 1947, to Indonesia, Australia has had active peacekeepers deployed non-stop in 64 countries around the world. We have come a long way since those first four peacekeepers in 1947. Sixty-six thousand Australians, members of the ADF and the AFP, have been part of 73 different peacekeeping operations, making a real difference to the regions in which they served. When looking at the difference they have made in Bougainville, it becomes clear that peacekeepers play a vital role in bringing about, as their name suggests, world peace. In Bougainville, Australia was at the forefront of the international peacekeeping effort which facilitated the security for what was to become a successful peace process. It is important to note how Australia's independent role in the Bougainville negotiations helped not only the success of the peacemaking but also to build Australia's standing in the Pacific region. It also says something of the courage and understanding of the troops from Australia, New Zealand, Vanuatu and Fiji that the peacekeeping force, the troops and later the peace monitoring group were not harmed, even though the combatants held their arms until the institution of a weapons disposal program.

In East Timor and the Solomon Islands, Australian troops were at the forefront of the peacekeeping process. Managing peace, protecting civilians and building a base for lasting peace is not an easy process, particularly when the combatants retain their arms. There is generally a real lack of trust on all sides, and these operations demand not only a combat capacity but also the capacity to talk, to engage groups with often diametrically opposed views as to the future of their country and then to help build a consensus. That takes a broad range of skills and community engagement. Australia's achievements to date are a credit to our armed forces and to the many civilian advisers who are inevitably involved—from AusAID to NGOs, they all deserve our gratitude.

Building peace is as important as fighting a war, if not more so, and it is important that we acknowledge the success of brave Australians in building peace. It is important that our peacekeepers are recognised and their values upheld now and in the future. We must ensure that the honouring of their bravery, courage and integrity is long lived, and I commend the Australian War Memorial for dedicating itself to building a living memory of all military service.

As we honour our soldiers, sailors and airmen, it is timely to remind this government that we must not undervalue the War Memorial and the important role it plays. The history of peacekeeping is indeed a history of Australians striving to make the world a better place. The values of responsibility, trustworthiness and a higher regard for humanity that our peacekeepers carry should be instilled and implemented into society at home and around the world as they let us take a further step towards a peaceful world. One way that we can do this is to teach our younger generations about the sacrifices our service men and women have made, ensuring that they learn of the dedication of our military personnel and police forces to a better world through peacekeeping.

Our peacekeepers are courageous. It is important to acknowledge the 1,100 United Nations peacekeepers who have lost their lives in service over the past decade and the 13 Australians who have fallen since 1966. The nature of peacekeeping and all military service is unique, and our peacekeepers face risks and trauma that can haunt them for the rest of their lives. Indeed, as we honour the men and women who have fallen in service, we must also not forget that 31 Defence personnel have or are believed to have committed suicide since 2005. The horrors of peacekeeping are spelt out in Ian McPhedran's book Soldiers Without Borders, a book about the SAS but which describes the horrors confronting Australian troops in Rwanda as part of the Australian Defence Force medical support force with the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda. The horrors that our service men and women face do not leave them, and we are losing young men and women not only in service but also after they return home. While we honour peacekeepers today, we must look at what we are doing to support our personnel returning from wars and from peacekeeping. They have served and supported their country, and we must ensure that our country serves and supports them. I commend this motion to the House.

Dick Adams (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The time allocated for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.