Senator COONEY (6:31 PM) —by leave—I begin by acknowledging the part played by the speaker immediately before me, Senator Knowles. On this tour, she showed just what we as Australians can do—along with the rest of the delegation: Mr Halverson, the leader; Mr Clyde Holding, the member for Melbourne Ports, the deputy leader; the Hon. Bruce Reid, the member for Bendigo; Senator McGauran; and me.

We are in a global situation. I do not want to go into the mantra that many find it disappointing that we should not think locally but globally. It is important to see the importance of both aspects. As a matter of fact, with communications being as they are, the countries of the world are much closer together. I think that we have not paid as much attention as we should have heretofore to southern Africa. Our exports to southern Africa are growing every year and growing rapidly. But it is not only economic opportunities we have there; we also have obligations to help them find their way to democracy—and I use that word advisedly.

The countries we visited included Angola and Mozambique, which are now coming out of a separate civil war in each of their countries. They are now looking for a parliamentary democracy. They are looking for help to set up those institutions that give us the sort of democracy we have here which, with all the strife and frustration we might find with those processes, are the best processes in the world. It is good for Australians to go over there to help those countries with those sorts of structures.

While over there, we were guided by the Hon. Kerry Sibraa, who was previously a President of this chamber, a man who has great knowledge of southern Africa and who was able to show us not only the economic opportunities but also those political, cultural and social opportunities that we have to contribute to fellow countries around the world. He was quite magnificently helped by his wife, Julie Sibraa, and by people on his staff: Mark Lynch, Fiona Leonard and Don Smith. I notice Senator McKiernan in the chamber. He was not on the delegation but has made a trip over there to look at migration and was also helped by those people. I think he is acknowledging that now in the chamber.

I have paid tribute to the spouse of the High Commissioner in Zimbabwe. I also pay tribute to two spouses who were on the tour with us: my wife, Lillian Cooney, and Jenny Reid, the spouse of Bruce Reid who took a very active part in establishing Australians' presence in this area and in getting from those places the sorts of things that might help Australia and help us as well. As I say, the world is becoming more and more a village. We do feel the effects of overseas competition and of overseas forces in this country. But they need not be negative influences. My son Justin works in the meat industry union—

Senator Carr —A very fine industry.

Senator COONEY —As Senator Carr says, a very fine industry. The meat industry is affected by overseas activities. My son, in his position there, understands that and tries to adjust this globalisation so that it impacts well not only for the people who may own the meatworks but also for the people who work in them. That is the great issue we have to face.

In the last few seconds, I want to pay tribute to the honourable member for Melbourne Ports, Mr Clyde Holding, who is secretary of a human rights body of the Inter- Parliamentary Union which does magnificent work in making sure that the parliaments around the world realise it is not only in words but also in deeds that they have to serve. There are many parliamentarians around the world imprisoned, and imprisoned wrongly. Mr Holding helps in that area. (Time expired)

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT (Senator Crowley) —Order! The time for dealing with these reports has expired.