Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes:

(a) the decisive victory in India’s recent national election of the Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Shri Narendra Modi;

(b) India’s achievement in building secular, democratic government since independence in 1947;

(c) the continuing improvements in living standards of the Indian people over recent decades; and

(d) India’s growing role in international affairs; and

(2) calls on the Australian Government to move promptly to build a strong relationship with the new Indian Government.

The victory in this month's Indian general election of the BJP, led by Narendra Modi, presents great opportunities for India, for Australia and for Australia-India relations.    It was a remarkable victory. It was remarkable for Mr Modi himself. As a child and teenager, he sold tea with his father at a railway station in the western Indian city of Vadnagar. Now he is the leader of the world's largest democracy. The size of Mr Modi's victory was remarkable. His is the first government to have an outright majority in the Indian lower house since the election of 1984. His victory brings a big change in the complexion of Indian politics. There has been a shift away from the Indian National Congress, which has dominated Indian politics for almost all the years since independence in 1947. Mr Modi has a real opportunity, but as the leader of a country of 1.3 billion people, he also faces huge and daunting challenges.

Growth in the Indian economy improved after the reforms that began in the early 1990s, but in recent years economic growth has slowed. India's GDP per person is one-tenth that of the United States and half that of China. Mr Modi will be working to narrow that gap. I hope he can promote growth in ways that benefit all Indians. Mr Modi's victory brings opportunities for Australia. Australia and India share values of democracy and the rule of law.   We have strong historical links and a common language. Ties between the people of Australia and India have been growing rapidly.

There are 450,000 Indian migrants in Australia, our fourth largest migrant community, making a wonderful contribution to Australian life. India is our largest source of permanent and skilled migrants. Tourism has been increasing. Last year there were 169,000 visitors from India to Australia. Diplomatic and strategic links with India strengthened greatly during our time in government. A joint declaration on security co-operation was agreed to by Prime Minister Rudd in 2009 and Prime Minister Rudd and Prime Minister Gillard made successful visits to India. Our ties with India are strong and they can grow and deepen further.

The India country strategy that was part of Labor's Australia in the Asian century white paper said that out of all our major relationships, the one with India had the greatest potential to continue to grow. The strategy sets out ways that India can help Australia become more productive and resilient through greater trade and investment. It says closer people-to-people links, continuing migration and increasing travel will benefit both countries. India has a long tradition of support for multilateral cooperation and the white paper says we should work together to strengthen such dialogue.

I urge the government to take up the opportunities identified in the white paper to deepen our relationship with India and to make it a priority to build strong relations with India's new government. It is economically, culturally and socially a country with which we have many existing links but there is potential to deepen, strengthen and broaden those links, in part because of the very significant Indian diaspora here in Australia but also because of the firm footing on which the previous prime ministerial visits have placed the relationship. It is an opportunity Australia should not miss.

Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion and reserve me right to speak.

Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The people of India should be congratulated on the successful conduct of India's democratic election, a significant achievement. Around 66 per cent of 815 million registered voters cast a vote, making it the largest democratic exercise in the world. The Australian government congratulates Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Narendra Modi, and its National Democratic Alliance partners on their decisive win. Prime Minister Abbott spoke to Mr Modi on 16 May to congratulate him on his electoral success and to invite Mr Modi to visit Australia to attend the G20 summit and to conduct a bilateral program.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, spoke to the new Minister of External Affairs Mrs Sushma Swaraj, to congratulate her on her appointment. The Australian government looks forward to working with Mr Modi's government to strengthen the strong and strategic partnership with India. I also want to add my own congratulations to Narendra Modi and to the party as chair of the Australia parliament's India network. I look forward to working with the member for Greenway to ensure a great relationship with India.

India has a population of 1.27 billion people. Such a landslide victory means that Indians are desperate for change. Mr Modi not only brings in a new government but represents a change in the way the Indian people respond to ineffective government. He stands as a symbol of empowerment and has a remarkable story, from a humble background to a strong record in the state of Gujarat where he became chief minister in October 2001. He was by far the longest serving of anyone in that position until he became Prime Minister. He has been immensely successful in transforming the state of Gujarat from a more economically backward state with no infrastructure into a progressive, modern and peaceful area—a remarkable record.

In the 67 years since independence, India has made a conscious and successful effort to remain secular. It is something that we share in common with them. It is a country so strongly rooted in rich Hindu tradition and culture. There are people from a plethora of religious and other backgrounds. It is rather easy to allow, sometimes, religious doctrines to infiltrate government and administrative processes. Secularism has been a highly important tool in maintaining communal relations, in particular between Hindus and Muslims. India has always, in that regard, been described as a land of contradictions. From Bollywood to literature, from music to textiles, culture and religion permeate every level of Indian society and have become India's most popular and visible exports.

Sometimes people observe that there are striking physical differences between our countries. Sometimes it is assumed that we have little in common. This is a gross misconception. From my own dealings with the Indian-Australian communities in Western Sydney and our bigger cities, and from the great relationship we have shared over the years, I can attest that India and Australia share a great history, not just of British colonisation and being English-speaking nations. We are also large democracies, secular states and key economic players in the Asia-Pacific region. We have strong relations in vital economic, political and cultural ways. There is a sizeable Indian diaspora here in Australia, with a large proportion being very skilled migrants.

Tourism is an important way that we broaden cultural boundaries. We have seen great grown in recent years, an increase of 7.5 per cent from 2012-13 to 2013-14 in tourism. We also have international students. While this has suffered some bad reputational situations in the recent past, there are very strong links built on Indian recognition of Australia's expertise in international education. India is the second highest source country for foreign students in Australia. Australian institutions are also expanding the delivery of education services in India to assist India to meet its vocational training and skills development needs. The government hopes to begin sending students to India from 2015 under the government's New Colombo Plan.

Under the leadership of its new chair, senior Australian businessman Ashok Jacob, the Australia-India Council is playing its part by strengthening its work in science, technology, public policy, tourism, sport and the arts. The Australian government is encouraging greater trade expansion between our two nations and the export of resources to India, which is driving Indian development. The re-establishment of the uranium trade between our two countries has been more than welcome given its vital nature.

Our government is looking forward to strengthening parliamentary ties between India and Australia. I want to note the great victory that the BJP has had in this election and welcome the new government. We are hoping against great hope that we see the Prime Minister visit Australia in the near future. I look forward to meeting all of the new members of parliament and the new ministers in the new government, and I hope we have a great relationship between our two nations well into the future.

Alan Griffin (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I join with others in supporting the motion by the member for Sydney to congratulate Prime Minister Modi and the BJP for their quite stunning election recently in India and also to encourage the Australian government to build on the record of previous governments to increase engagement with, and to develop our relationship with, India into the future. As earlier speakers have said, there are a number of things about the current situation in India which are advantageous, potentially, for Australia but also provide an opportunity for India itself to grasp the nettle of its future.

As has been said, it has been more than a quarter of a century since a government in India has been in a clear majority and not in some form of coalition. That in itself provides India and the BJP with some opportunities around the question of setting a course into the future. As the previous speaker, the member for Mitchell, mentioned, Prime Minister Modi had an impressive record as regional head in Gujarat state, an area that was seen as being quite underdeveloped in relation to the rest of India. He embraced policies and an approach to try and achieve advancement in that state, and it was quite successful. Frankly, there are some significant challenges around the question of corruption and some areas of internal dissent within India. A majority government will give the BJP the opportunity to lead with respect to those issues. I wish him and his party well with respect to that.

They also build on the country's base which has been growing exponentially and which has significant potential. A snapshot of modern India shows a GDP of some US$1.870 trillion in 2013, a GDP per capita of US$1,504, GDP growth of 4.4 per cent and a population of over 1.2 billion. With respect to Australia, our trade base has grown from around $3.6 billion in two-way trade value in 2000-01 to in excess of $16 billion in 2012-13. The growth is on the way up. The opportunities are there.

India has links to Australia. It has been mentioned that we share links in terms of a colonial past, and with that comes language and some governmental similarities. As the member for Sydney said, when we look to the opportunities of the Asian century there is often a focus on China—and rightly so, given our trade relationship with China—but there is no doubt that the potential of developing links with India is more than significant.

It is a very young population. As we know, many young students have come to Australia and we have had increased levels of migration from India to Australia, to the extent where it is now, for the first time in the last several years, our most significant source of migrants on a permanent basis. I know from going to citizenship ceremonies in my own electorate that there are more and more Indian-Australians who are proud of their heritage and also very proud to embrace the opportunities which Australia brings for them. I think one of the key things we need to do into the future is to utilise the skill base of those who have come from India and made Australia their home.

The potential is significant. The opportunities for the future are great. It is incumbent on the government to build on what occurred in recent years in building that relationship. I welcome the offer from Prime Minister Abbott for Prime Minister Modi to visit Australia. I think that links such as that—such as the visit of former Prime Minister Gillard and also, before that, Rudd—were key elements in building the relationship into the future. The opportunities for doing that now are significant. As we look at the links with respect to students, as we look to the links in terms of trade, and as we look at the potential for growing particularly service industries, a development on the base that has also occurred around the question of mining and resources in more recent years, the potential for Australia to play a role in India's development into the future and to benefit from that role is significant. Together, we can help build the Asian century in a manner which ensures that it is of great benefit to both India and Australia.

John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to join my colleagues in congratulating Narendra Modi and the BJP on their decisive win last month in the recent Indian elections. Mr Modi was sworn in as Prime Minister last week after a successful campaign that has inspired millions around the world. After taking office last week, Mr Modi expressed his commitment to leading a 'strong, developed and inclusive India that actively engages with the global community to strengthen the cause of world peace and development'. I commend Mr Modi on his words and his vision for the world's largest democracy and one of our most important international partners. The people of India should be congratulated on the successful conduct of this very significant election. An election of this magnitude has never been conducted anywhere in the world. Around 66 per cent of the 815 million registered voters cast a vote, making it the largest democratic exercise in history.

Prime Minister Abbott spoke to Mr Modi last month to congratulate him on his electoral success and to invite him to Australia to attend the G20 summit later this year. Continuing the strong bilateral programs that exist between our two countries will be a key priority for both prime ministers in the months and years ahead. The Australian government looks forward to working with Mr Modi's government to strengthen our Strategic Partnership with India. Building a genuine Strategic Partnership with India is a long-term project and one to which this government is firmly committed. We recognise the enormous potential for economic, political and strategic engagement between our two nations. We also recognise the strong people-to-people links that already exist and the prospect to further grow in the future.

Under this government, parliamentary engagement with India is increasing every year. We look forward to engaging with India's new parliament. The Australia-India Council will support the visit of a delegation of young Indian members of parliament later this year. Meanwhile, the Australian parliament is also planning for a parliamentary delegation to visit India later this year. Thanks to delegations like these and a commitment to regional cooperation, we have established a bilateral architecture of annual ministerial meetings on foreign affairs, trade, education, and energy cooperation issues. Early engagement with Mr Modi's new government will ensure even closer cooperation and economic diplomacy between our two nations.

India is already our fifth-largest export destination, and this relationship is mutually valuable. Australia's resource exports to India are helping to drive India's development. Two-way trade has grown in value from $3.3 billion in 2000 to over $15 billion in 2013. We see potential for growth in investment in both directions, particularly given that both the Australian government and Mr Modi's government are committed to cutting red tape around investment. Our two governments share the goal of increasing regional prosperity and stability, and we welcome Mr Modi's commitment to business and economic reforms.

Education links between our countries are particularly strong and build upon Indian recognition of Australia's expertise in this area. India is the second-highest source country for foreign students in Australia. Australian institutions are also expanding the delivery of educational services in India to assist India to meet its vocational training and skills development needs. Australia hopes to begin sending students to India from 2015 under the government's New Colombo Plan. Australia also receives high numbers of Indian skilled migrants. India is Australia's largest source country of skilled migrants, and, increasingly, Indian tourist arrivals have strengthened our economy at home and brought our nations even closer together.

I would like to thank Shubha Kumar and Dr Aksheya Kumar from the India Club in my electorate of Bennelong for providing me with information about the recent elections in preparation for this speech. I understand that many sections of the Indian-Australian community in Bennelong are very hopeful of a bright future following Mr Modi's win.

Mr Modi's personal story has already inspired many. From a tea-seller's son to the 15th Prime Minister of India, he has risen from a humble background to international recognition. Shortly after taking office, Mr Modi committed to take India's development journey to new heights. He asked for the 'support, blessings and active participation' of the Indian people and the international community. Today, this government offers its support for the new Prime Minister. I trust he will fulfil the aspirations of millions of people worldwide.

Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to rise in support of this motion moved by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition noting the recent election victory by Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, but also congratulating the people of India for a very successful election and the largest democratic exercise in the world. From 7 April through to 12 May, one-thirteenth of the world's population went to the polls in what was an extraordinary period for democracy and, of course, a landmark election for India. On the final day of the five-week election cycle, more than 535 million Indians had had their say on the future of the world's second most populous country and largest democracy. I wish to congratulate the officials involved with conducting the election but also the people of India for what was by all accounts a very successful election period. That is a remarkable figure, made even more remarkable by the fact that it represents 130 million more voters than in the previous election, in 2009. The result of the world's largest exercise in democracy was a resounding victory for the leader of the BJP, Narendra Modi, whose party won a parliamentary majority in its own right, the first time that this feat has been achieved since 1984.

As a close friend of this great nation, Australia has watched as India has built a successful secular democratic government. The first Indian election, in 1952, was described by some as the biggest gamble in the history of democracy. Clearly that paid off. Fast forward six decades, and India has just held the biggest election in the history of democracy. That achievement speaks volumes as to how far this nation and these people have come. With one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, India has experienced a steady increase in its standard of living, driven rapidly by a growing middle class, which at last count was close to 300 million people. It is pleasing to note the increased confidence in India's economic future that has come on the back of this historic election, with the stock market jumping more than six points in the wake of the victory and the rupee surging to just under 60c against the US dollar.

Recognising India's important place on the world stage, the former Labor government worked hard to strengthen Australia's relationship with India. In 2009 the Rudd government signed the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation, which took to a new level strategic relations between Australia and India. There is a strong tourism market between both nations. India is one of the largest sources of tourists for Australia. In migration, India is the largest source of skilled migration for Australia. And of course educational cooperation is one of the great strengths in the relationship between Australia and India, particularly around vocational education and training and higher education. I am pleased to say that many of those Indian educational migrants are studying in my electorate.

This is the background behind the previous Labor government's focus on Australia in the Asian century, through the Asian century white paper. If Australia is going to be part of Asia, we need to be able to communicate with Asia. A particular focus in the Asian century white paper was on languages in schools, and one of those languages was Hindi. We urge the current government to continue the good work of building stronger relations, through communications and through teaching Asian languages, particularly Hindi, in our school system.

It is encouraging to hear that the new Indian Prime Minister has a keen interest in foreign affairs, with expectations that the new government's foreign policies will be backed with greater resources. There are a number of challenges for India, of course. Their economy has experienced stagflation in the past. The relationship with Pakistan is a key strategic challenge. But, based on the success of this election, we wish the Indian government all the best and look forward to working with them.

Craig Laundy (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to be able to speak today to this motion on Australia's relationship with India, and I commend the member for Sydney for putting it to the House. Within Reid, I have the honour of representing an incredibly valuable Australian Indian community. Over the last two years or so, I have been honoured to be able to call many members of that community friends. Since their arrival in Australia, Indian Australians have worked hard to provide a better life for their families and have made an invaluable contribution to this nation and indeed to my community in Reid. In Reid, like so many parts other parts of Australia, they have become leaders within our community in the field of business, education, engineering and health. I am delighted to inform the House that in Reid we have over 6½ thousand people who were born in India and many more who are proud to identify India as part of their cultural heritage. They are also extremely proud, and rightly so, of India's democratic processes, which have remained strong since India's independence in 1947.

The people of India should be congratulated on the successful conduct of India's democratic election, another successful achievement. To hear that over half a billion registered voters cast a vote, making it the largest democratic exercise in the world, is truly staggering. We saw for ourselves the complexities and challenges faced by our own Electoral Commission in the conduct of an election a fraction of that scale. I congratulate the Bharatiya Janata Party, the BJP, led by Narendra Modi and its National Democratic Alliance coalition partners on their decisive win. I understand that Prime Minister Abbott has spoken to Mr Modi to congratulate him on his electoral success and to extend an invitation to Mr Modi to visit Australia and attend the G20 summit. I applaud him for that.

The friendship extended by our Prime Minister should not be a surprise to anybody, as Australia and India have a long-established partnership across a broad range of areas. Whilst on the cricket pitch we are fierce competitors and have had many memorable battles, our strategic partnership is one that this government is committed to working to improve even further. Of course, this partnership is based on many common interests, most particularly in the areas of economic development, education and, as the member for Sydney notes in this motion, international affairs. The value of our relationship with India is illustrated by the fact that India is our fifth-largest export destination and that our exports of resources to India are helping to support India's development. This government remains committed to being a long-term and reliable energy supplier to the people of India. I am sure that all within this House, and our wider communities, are pleased to know that the trade between our two nations has grown substantially over the last 14 years, from $3.3 billion in 2000 to over $15 billion in 2013. Moreover, this government, and the Indian Australian community in Reid, see great potential for further growth in investment in both directions.

Education is at the heart of Indian society, and I know from my friendships within the community of Reid that education is valued greatly for its capacity to lift anybody to a higher level of achievement. I am therefore delighted that education links are strong and being built upon by recognition of Australia's expertise in this area, an expertise that is of course informed by participation of so many Indian Australians within that sector. I note that it is also hoped that we can begin sending students to India from 2015 under the government's New Colombo Plan.

The New Colombo Plan provides for a truly exciting opportunity for students to obtain work experience with a business in India. So not only will students meet other students and teachers but they will also gain an intern opportunity. They will see how a business operates, how a hospital functions, how a profession works and perhaps even our next generation of Australian election officials will benefit from seeing how an Indian election works.

Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The time allotted 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.