Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I present the report of the Australian parliamentary delegation to Papua New Guinea and East Timor, which took place from 26 October to 5 November 2008. I seek leave to move a motion to take note of the document.

Leave granted.

I move:

That the Senate take note of the document.

I seek leave to incorporate a statement.

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

In presenting this report may I observe that this particular delegation was led by the Member for Wills and the report has been tabled by him in the other place.

The delegation members also included me, Ms Louise Marcus, the Member for Greenway and Mr Brett Raguse, the Member for Forde.

The delegation visited Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste from 26 October to 5 November 2008.

The delegation attended a series of meetings in both Papua New Guinea and Timor Lester to discuss issues of bilateral, regional and international significance, and inspected sites of social, political and economic importance to both delegation members and the Australian parliament more broadly.

As set out in the delegation report, the delegation adopted the following aims and objectives in relation to both countries for their visit:

• Renew links with the National Parliament and discuss means by which they can be strengthened;
• Gain an appreciation of contemporary political, economic and social issues;
• Review the bilateral relationship including further growth in trade and investment;
• To gain an insight into AusAID’s activities in both PNG and Timor Leste and;
• Specifically in relation to Timor Leste to gain an insight into the roles and activities of the Australian-led International Stabilisation Force and the UN Integrated Mission to Timor-Leste and to gain an appreciation of the Australian Government’s activities including its support for East Timor’s security sector reform through the Defence Cooperation Program and the Timor-Leste Police Development Program.

The delegation was grateful for the opportunity that was provided to us to visit Australian war sites in both Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste.

I would like to make special mention of the role that the Australian troops play in Timor Leste in assisting to ensure that stability is maintained and the country is able to develop and I record my gratitude to them.

The delegation is grateful for the assistance, hospitality and courtesy provided to us by our respective missions. In Papua New Guinea, Mr Chris Moraitis, Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea and Mr John Feakes, Deputy High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea and in Timor Leste, Mr Peter Heyward, Australian Ambassador to East Timor.

The delegation leader in tabling the report expressed on behalf of the delegation our appreciation and gratitude to Ms Fiona Way in the Parliamentary Relations Office for her efforts in organising the delegation and to Ms Roberta Molsen the delegation secretary for her outstanding assistance throughout the delegation. I concur with his comments.

Question agreed to.