Steve Hutchins (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the report of the Australian parliamentary delegation to Colombia and Argentina which took place from 9 to 24 August 2008. I seek leave to move a motion in relation to the report.

Leave granted.

I move:

That the Senate take note of the document.

The bilateral visit in August last year was an opportunity for parliamentarians to learn more about Colombia and Argentina, to promote Australia and to strengthen bilateral ties. The delegation was the first Australian parliamentary visit to Colombia and the first in some years to Argentina. Indeed, I think our first Colombian congressional delegation will be coming here next week. The report details our program activities and observations.

I wish to acknowledge my delegation colleagues. The deputy delegation leader was Mr Don Randall. The other delegation members were Senator Marise Payne, who has a very extensive and impressive knowledge of foreign affairs, Senator Helen Polley, Mr Luke Hartsuyker and Ms Melissa Parke. The delegation secretary was Ms Sara Edson, who did a great job in assisting the delegation. Each delegate was an enthusiastic participant in discussions and inspections and contributed significantly to the purpose of the delegation visit in a spirit of bipartisanship and goodwill.

The delegation visited Colombia first, from 8 to 15 August. In Bogota we had the distinct honour of meeting with the Colombian President, Mr Alvaro Uribe, as well as the Foreign Minister, Mr Jaime Bermudez. The President’s administration has ushered in a suite of reforms which have improved security, facilitated economic growth and introduced new health and education programs. Wherever we went in Colombia we learnt that past perceptions of Colombia are not necessarily the reality of Colombia today. Colombians have a renewed sense of self-esteem about their institutions and an optimism about their country’s future.

We were warmly received by the President of the Senate, Mr Hernan Andrade, and parliamentarians from the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, and impressed by the level of interest in Australia that our counterparts had. Engaging discussions were held on a range of foreign relations and trade matters, including the latest Doha Round, direct foreign investment, free trade agreements, alternative sources of energy and the scope for further cooperation in the mining, agribusiness and education industries. I had the pleasure of addressing the Colombian Senate, which was broadcast live to a potential audience of 40 million Colombians. I am not sure that anybody else could claim that credit, and I hope none of my delegation colleagues reported it back to the Prime Minister either!

In addition to meetings with parliamentarians and officials from government departments in Bogota, the delegation had a number of engagements outside the capital. Highlights included a visit to Cerrejon mine, which is one-third owned by BHP Billiton and the world’s largest open pit coalmine, and its local school program for indigenous children. We also had valuable meetings with local government and business representatives in Cartagena and visited the award-winning Port of Cartagena. We enjoyed participating in a forum on Australian relations with Latin America with university students in Medellin keen to learn more about Australia. It is not that well known that Colombia sends 5,000 students to study in Australian tertiary institutions each year. In fact, one of the President’s sons has an engineering degree from here. In Medellin, we also visited the Parque Biblioteca Espana, an unusual and successful development project which uses modern architecture and public spaces to inspire social change in disadvantaged communities. Indeed, Colombia was regarded as one of the most dangerous places in the world; Medellin, where we were, was regarded as the most dangerous place in Colombia; and this project where we were was regarded as the most dangerous place in Medellin. That had certainly changed.

From 16 to 22 August the delegation visited Argentina. This leg of the journey commenced in Missiones Province during a long weekend so that we could see the management of large tourist flows at Iguazcu Falls and inspect the world’s largest hydroelectric dam, over the border in Brazil.

In Buenos Aires, the delegation was honoured to meet the President of the Senate and Vice-President of Argentina, Julios Cobos, and the respective chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees in the Senate and the lower house, together with colleagues from different parties in the Argentine congress, including members of the Australia-Argentine Parliamentary Friendship Group. We acknowledge the tremendous assistance and support of Senator Sonia Escudero, chair of the friendship group, who looked after us during the visit. Both the Australian and Argentine parliaments benefit from her passion and enthusiasm for Australia. It is well known that she is married to a former Labor member of the upper house in New South Wales, Ken Reed, which might account for her passion.

A range of bilateral issues were discussed at official meetings with parliamentary and government officials, including the respective parliamentary committee systems; shared interests in peacekeeping and in environmental matters such as the preservation of Antarctica and whale conservation; the scope for further collaboration in nuclear science and technology and climate change; and the proposed work and holiday visa arrangement with Australia. All agreed that the latter would encourage greater people-to-people exchanges.

We visited the Memory Museum in Argentina, which pays homage to the victims of the military dictatorship which was in place from 1976-1983, and were impressed with the national archive that reminds and educates future generations about this gruesome period in their history.

We also met with Mr German Perez, the Tourism Secretary of Buenos Aires Province—the world capital of polo and ranches—and discussed the scope for greater two-way tourist flows between our countries. In November last year, Qantas added a direct route from Sydney to Buenos Aires. This welcome move will encourage further people-to-people contact, with business and tourism links.

Business representatives in Argentina told delegates that opportunities exist for more Australian investment in Argentina, especially in mining and agribusiness. In addition to legal and tax predictability and stability, having the right partner—familiar with local political and business conditions—is paramount for any long-term joint ventures between Australian and Argentine companies.

I am delighted to inform the Senate that we initiated an Australia-Colombia Parliamentary Friendship Group, which is in the final stages of being established. This will complement the Australia-Argentine Parliamentary Friendship Group that already exists.

In closing, delegation members join me in expressing sincere appreciation to the host parliaments, government, business and other representatives who contributed to a successful visit. We have fond memories of our time spent in each country and the people we met.

We thank our diplomatic representatives in Chile, who have responsibility for Colombia and Argentina and who provided outstanding support during our visit. Our special thanks go to the Australian Ambassador to Chile and Colombia, His Excellency Crispin Conroy, and Third Secretary, Ms Penny Toledo-Ocampo; the former Australian Ambassador to Argentina, His Excellency Peter Hussin, and First Secretary, Mr Nick McCaffrey, and Third Secretary, Ms Claire Rochecouste.

We also thank His Excellency Mr Diego Betancur, the Colombian Ambassador to Australia, and His Excellency Mr Pedro Raul Villagra Delgado, the Argentine Ambassador to Australia, for meeting with delegates prior to departure and, in the case of the Argentine Ambassador, on the delegation’s return as well.

Finally I would like to thank Ms Lynette Mollard from the Parliamentary Relations Office for her efforts in coordinating the delegation program and repeat my thanks to Ms Sara Edson. I commend the report to the Senate.

Question agreed to.