Josh Burns (Macnamara, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, I present the committee's report entitled Supporting democracy in our region.

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

by leave—On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade and as Chair of the Foreign Affairs and Aid Subcommittee, I'm very pleased to present this committee's report titled Supporting democracy in our region. The report makes eight recommendations which the committee hopes demonstrates the way in which Australia can continue to work and partner with countries in our region and align local priorities, enhance countries' institutions and build on our existing strong bilateral relationships.

The inquiry was referred to the committee by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in September 2022. The committee received 58 submissions and held a series of public hearings in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne. As part of the inquiry, three committee members had the wonderful privilege and opportunity to travel to the Solomon Islands and to Papua New Guinea, and I acknowledge the member for Jagajaga, who joined us, and the member for Fisher, who was part of that really memorable delegation.

The committee met with parliamentarians and committee counterparts from both countries as well as the Auditor-General, the Electoral Commissioner, civil society groups, journalists and other integrity agencies. I would like to extend my personal thanks to all of the experts and the people of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, who not only gave us their insights and their intellectual contributions but also their kindness, their warmth and their hospitality. It added greatly to the composition of this report, and I thank everyone that we met through that delegation.

The stability, prosperity and sustainable development in our region are under threat from a range of factors, including growing inequality, the pandemic, other health challenges, climate change, economic challenges, gender imbalance and inequality, diminishing human rights and a closing civic space. These are big challenges to grapple with, and it is in Australia's national interest to support and build stronger partnerships when invited to in our neighbouring countries.

The committee received evidence that demonstrated there is a significant weakening in democratic governance in the region, and this is problematic for all people living in the region, including Australia. We are not immune to our own democratic challenges here in Australia, and we must constantly be reinvesting in and re-enforcing our own institutions. We have an important role to support those in our region, our family, to do the same thing as well.

The evidence was clear that democracies, while varying in nature in the Indo-Pacific, rely on good governance to achieve robust institutions that are accountable and can be scrutinised. In addition, democratic governments support free and fair elections that are well administered and have transparent practices. Independent media is necessary for the functioning of democracies as they hold power to account, raise awareness of regional, national and international issues, and give communities a voice to engage in debates that shape their lives.

One of the main findings in this report was to recommend that Australia's electoral assistance to be given as effectively as possible. The committee suggested taking the whole-of-election cycle to support countries in our region. This means, due to the significant logistical challenges that many countries in the region face, to be able to administer and to logistically plan and prepare for very challenging elections in countries where infrastructure presents huge challenges, that Australia can do more over a longer period of time, to lead into elections through our agencies to support those who are doing a remarkable job, working extremely hard for their own country's elections.

The committee also recommended that the department of foreign affairs publish a clear and transparent policy on its funding and program support for international elections. This is aimed at preventing international players from mischaracterising Australia's longstanding precedence of supporting the core function of democracy in our region through the appropriate channels while respecting the sovereignty of each nation.

The impacts of climate change were a significant topic that arose during the committee's discussions around supporting peace and stability in the region. The committee recognised that the Pacific nations have identified ongoing challenges of climate change as their No. 1 priority. Committee members who travelled to the absolutely beautiful Salamaua in the Morobe province of Papua New Guinea heard from the local administrator about the devastating impacts rising sea levels and high seas are having on their community. This included seeing houses that had collapsed on the coastal shoreline and flooding that was impacting the local village school, which needed to be relocated. We literally walked over damp sand that never used to meet the high tide. It was a very rare occurrence that the high tide would come up to the local infrastructure of the community of Salamaua, and they are now saying this this is a daily occurrence. This is literally changing the way in which they are living their lives, and they urged us as Australians and their local administrators to maintain our focus on climate change and support them in their community infrastructure.

With this in mind, the committee recommended increased support for international communities in our region to mitigate climate change. This includes adaptation and mitigation works to prepare for rising sea levels and extreme weather events, given the adverse effect climate change has on institutions, national security and civil society, which negatively impacts democracy. It was clear from evidence that there is a need for increased funding to support independent media in the Indo-Pacific region which includes partnering with local journalists in country to strengthen democratic norms and good governance. The committee believed it is important to reciprocate training for journalists and to fund journalists from the Indo-Pacific to bring a variety of news and stories back to Australia as well. This will help to advance stronger partnerships within our region between journalists.

The committee received evidence from civil society organisations that are undertaking valuable work in the Indo-Pacific region. Countries that have well-functioning governments, low corruption and strong connections between government and civil society organisations have higher resilience to disruption and instability. It is good for democracy to have a strong civil society, and I thank the incredibly dedicated civil society organisations and their people for all of the work they've been doing.

Promoting gender equality is a human rights issue and is a means to social and economic empowerment. It is critical that women in the Indo-Pacific region are provided with equal opportunities to actively participate in community and society as a whole. The committee recognises that gender equality is critical in participating in democracy, in leadership and in decision-making in all levels of society, including in parliaments. The committee recommended that the Australian government reinstate funding for a women in parliament program within the Australian parliament.

The committee believes that the preconditions for the inclusion and participation of people with disabilities are important for a strong and functioning democracy. The committee believes that the focus on participation of people with disabilities should be continued and increased.

The committee was also impressed to receive evidence demonstrating that young people are key agents of change in the region and are engaged in promoting democratic values. Recognising that there is a significant youth population in the Indo-Pacific with over half the population of 10 million under the age of 25, the committee believes that the government should provide increased targeted funding to youth led organisations which promote democracy in our region.

Final recommendations made by the committee included the establishment of a central civil society organisation hub within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to support the coordination and delivery of development in the region. Lastly, the committee recommended that the government set an annual baseline funding target in the ODA budget for the delivery of humanitarian and development programs through civil society organisations.

On behalf of the committee, I want to extend my sincere thanks to all of those who contributed to our inquiry. I want to thank those who made submissions and who appeared before the hearing. I want to give a special mention to Rebecca Gordon, the secretariat of the committee, who has joined us in the chamber and who also joined us on the delegation to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Along with her team, she worked extremely hard on providing sound support and the collation of evidence and really important discussions around the tabling and the construction of recommendations. She is a fine representative of the quality of Public Service we have here.

I want to thank the deputy chair, Senator Chandler, and the other members of parliament who contributed to this report. It is a multipartisan report. We have worked together to think deeply about our region and to think deeply about the people in our Pacific family who people in this House hold in their hearts as essential to Australia's future. I thank everyone for participating.

I commend the report to the House.

Mike Freelander (Macarthur, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the member for Macnamara wish to move a motion in connection with the report to enable it to be debated on a future occasion?

Josh Burns (Macnamara, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the House take note of the report.

Mike Freelander (Macarthur, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The debate is adjourned, and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.