Ms GRIERSON (4:53 PM) —Now more than ever the Australian public has reason to contemplate its nation's future foreign affairs policy and position. Our troops are currently committed to a war in Iraq as a result of the government's decision that this nation's interest is primarily dependent on a strong alliance with the United States of America. While acknowledging the strength of that alliance, I think the Prime Minister has made a major error in not looking to the future of our nation and to our own region for building strong alliances and relationships to best deliver the security, safety and prosperity we want for all Australians. That is why I use this grievance debate to share with the House experiences gained on a delegation I participated in last year to neighbouring countries in the Pacific region.

Before I do that, I reiterate for the public record the opposition's support for the Australian troops engaged in war in Iraq. Although we want them home and would have preferred that they not be deployed before all UN peace processes were exhausted, we recognise that our forces are in Iraq under the government's power to determine troop deployments and engagements. In doing the job they are directed to do by this government, our Defence Force personnel are assured that we will continue to do all we can to ensure that they are given the best resources and the best Australian command structure possible to do the job they are committed to. Our desires for their safe return and for a swift peace are complementary.

My address today covers a four-day delegation visit in December last year to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Samoa, accompanying the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer. This was a very brief and crowded trip, and I will not be able to cover it as much as I would like to in this short time. Twenty-four hours were spent in each of three countries. It seems that I gained enough experience as a backbencher to accompany our parliamentary secretary, Chris Gallus, and the minister, and to help them, I suppose, engage more fully with the communities of those three countries. That was to my benefit. It was a wonderful opportunity to have that engagement with those Pacific communities.

Firstly, we visited the Solomons on a day when tensions were very high and Honiara was facing some major problems with the continuation of its government. The Solomon Islands at this stage receives Australian aid worth over $36 million, and that is certainly very much needed. Major problems still exist with literacy levels and school enrolments. On our arrival in Honiara, the tension was made more obvious by the fact that the population is dominated by young men who are not employed and not engaged in education. That seemed to be a major destabilising force in that country. On our arrival, we were also able to engage with women, at the request of the many female members of parliament who accompanied that delegation. We had an amazing opportunity to hear from women about how difficult it is in the Solomons to engage in governance and decision making. I urge the Minister for Foreign Affairs to use gender empowerment programs, because women are the community builders in places such as the Solomons.

We visited the Community Peace and Restoration Fund programs, and we attended the opening of a rehabilitation centre. I mention the Community Peace and Restoration Fund programs in particular because those programs direct aid funds to the community. It seems to me that, with the governance and law and order problems in the Solomons and with the lack of rigour that sometimes applies, community building is the desired way ahead. Visiting the Lighthouse Rehabilitation Resource Centre, we saw the opening of a newly constructed centre for adult literacy. The warmth and pride of the hospitality was much appreciated by our delegation. As a former educator, it was wonderful for me to see that the centre focused on adult literacy. The other thing I observed was that the resource levels and the resources used were quite deficient. The electorate of Newcastle are trying to assist me to donate English texts for all ages to these island nations, because a lack of such resources was certainly a problem.

We also visited the Honiara hospital, where I was sad to see that domestic violence accounted for a very high percentage of the problems of the clients presenting with injuries in the fracture clinic. Again, supporting women and families in the Solomons is vital. It was also obvious that health programs were more successful when they actually engaged communities.

Sadly, since visiting the Solomons we have learned of the assassination of the much loved elder and member of the peace council, Sir Frederick Soaki, who was working very hard to bring about stability within the special constabulary. That is a tragedy for that country, as was the damage done by the recent cyclone. I register my support for the reconstruction and reform efforts.

Moving on to Vanuatu, I was delighted to visit the institute of technology in Vila, to see a foundation stone laid, to see newly refurbished facilities being used for practical skills training and to see newly erected student accommodation. We were also fortunate to visit a health clinic in Mele village, where we were again warmly welcomed by the community. It was very chastening to see that sexual health was the main area of health education and awareness programs at that clinic. There is great concern that HIV-AIDS may become a problem throughout the Pacific nations, and we were pleased to see that some aid was being directed that way. In Vanuatu, it was also interesting to see that colonialism still rules. Supporting the expression of indigenous culture and self-determination in Vanuatu is certainly one area in which aid should be given by Australians. In Vanuatu, it was pleasing to see that access to safe water was largely assured, literacy levels were improving and primary school enrolments were higher, but the mortality rate for babies and life expectancy for all Vanuatuans remain major problems.

We were then fortunate to move on to Samoa, and that was a great contrast. Samoa is a country that certainly uses the strength of its cultural identity to take control of its economy, its social fabric and its future direction. The Samoan Legislative Assembly members who met with us were particularly helpful, and it was obvious that the pride they have in their country helps to shape better outcomes and performance. We were also able to participate in a briefing from Treasury personnel and ministry secretaries—and they were women. It was an excellent development to see women as part of the reform process in Samoa, and we were delighted to have that experience with them and to see that economic, governance and public sector reform is certainly making a difference. We noted that both adult literacy and enrolments in primary schools in Samoa are running at almost 100 per cent. It certainly shows that that country is investing well in education and the nation's future. Complementary aid programs from Australia were well received and very much appreciated. Since returning home, my interest remains high that those countries are well represented and well supported by this nation. Their stability is part of our future security and stability as well, and securing them from exploitation through crime and money laundering is something that we have a strong commitment to.

I would like to acknowledge Dr Chris Millar from my electorate. He is leaving this month to work voluntarily in the Solomons. We wish him well with his 12 months in the Solomons providing health services. I would also like to acknowledge Gaye Hart, Director of the Hunter Institute of TAFE in my electorate. Gaye Hart is currently President of the Australian Council for Overseas Aid and was formerly the executive director of the Australian National Committee for UNICEF. I thank her for the learning experience, education and time she took to make sure that I understood aid programs a lot better than I did before going on this delegation.

The real star of our delegation, though, was Sean Dorney from ABC Radio. Wherever we went, that man was a legend. It really demonstrated the importance of our ABC programs to the Pacific region. I do thank the minister and his parliamentary secretary for making it a bipartisan delegation and for accepting us into the delegation. To DFAT staff, AusAID staff and high commission staff, thank you. In conclusion, I would like to quote from an 18-year-old Samoan-born person from my electorate, Tagisia Alao. Tagisia made the Newcastle Australia Day address this year. In expressing her pride in becoming an Australian, she said:

Tagisia Alao is proud of her Samoan heritage and holds high hopes for the future of her new country, Australia. Noting the impact of recent tragic events on the lives of so many Australians, Tagisia made the point that:

This is what Tagisia wants for her new country. In conclusion, Tagisia said: