Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Corporate Governance and Responsibility) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I indicate that Labor will be supporting the motion because it is at least a formal acknowledgement by the Australian Senate of the suffering of these comfort women. We recognise that the motion is not perfect, and we are extremely disappointed that the Howard government has not seen fit to heed the concerns of the Australian victims of these crimes and their supporters in drafting this motion. The Senate will recall that Labor moved a much stronger motion yesterday that had the support of this community, which the Howard government senators voted down.