Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senators Barnett, Bernardi and Fierravanti-Wells, I move:

That the Senate—

  (a)   recognises that Coptic Christians in Egypt are suffering ongoing and increasing persecution;

  (b)   condemns the recent attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt;

  (c)   expresses its sympathy for Coptic Christians who have been victims of recent attacks in Egypt; and

  (d)   calls on the Government to:

     (i)   issue a public statement condemning the ongoing attacks against the Coptic Christian minority in Egypt,

     (ii)   make immediate representations to the United Nations to end the persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt, and

     (iii)   strongly urge the Egyptian Government to provide equal rights and protections for all Egyptian citizens regardless of race or religion.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—We do not support the motion. It has been a longstanding practice of the government to not deal with complex foreign policy matters by way of simple motion. The Australian government is a longstanding supporter of article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Australian government is gravely concerned about reports of the persecution of Christian communities and other minority groups in the Middle East. The government has condemned attacks on the Coptic Christian community in Egypt, and we welcome the Egyptian government's strong condemnation of sectarian violence and stated commitment to bringing those responsible to justice.

Government officials, both in Canberra and at the Australian embassies in the Middle East, raise the right of freedom of religion and belief with host governments. We also have a proud legacy of defending human rights at the multilateral level, particularly in the United Nations through cosponsoring the UN General Assembly's resolution on the elimination of religious discrimination in 2010, sponsoring the mandate of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief and our involvement in the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.

Question agreed to.