Senator IAN CAMPBELL (3:46 PM) —I table a statement to parliament on the 30th session of the UNESCO General Conference by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs, and I seek leave to incorporate the statement in Hansard .

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

Introduction

I had the honour to lead the Australian Delegation to the 30th Session of the UNESCO General Conference, held in Paris in November. Australia is a founding member of UNESCO, the Organisation responsible within the United Nations system for the promotion of education, science and culture.

We have been active in the Organisation throughout its history and are presently the 9th largest contributor in accordance with, a contribution scale set by the United Nations.

For these reasons and because of the important role that UNESCO can play in promoting basic education in developing countries, the Government attaches much importance to this Organisation.

Australia's Election to the Executive Board

An important objective for Australia at the Conference was our election to the UNESCO Executive Board as the nominated candidate of the Pacific sub-group of the Asia-Pacific region. We were successful, obtaining one of the largest votes we have ever achieved. We have already begun our two-year term on the Board, represented by Professor Ken Wiltshire of the University of Queensland, who as Chairman of the Australian National Commission for UNESCO, is widely known and respected within the Organisation.

UNESCO Reform

UNESCO has had a number of successes in recent years, including for example, the World Science Conference held in Budapest in June-July and the Education Conference in Melbourne. However, it also has been subject to some well-founded criticism for poor management practices and a lack of focus in its program activity on core functions—those areas where UNESCO has the capacity uniquely to add value.

One of the Government's major objectives during this year's Conference, and during our current term on the Executive Board, will be to give strong support to improved management in the Organisation.

It was therefore, pleasing, that together with others, we were able to achieve a consensus on a zero nominal growth budget for the next biennium (2000-2001). This budget approach will require significant administrative and managerial efficiencies to ensure that budgeted program activities are carried out.

Australia's Election to the Finance and Administration Group of Experts

Likewise our contribution to efforts to promote managerial reform will be facilitated by our recent appointment to a 12-member group of experts on administrative and financial management.

Election of a new Director-General

One of the most important events during the Conference was the election of a new Director-General to replace Mr Federico Mayor who had served two six-year terms. While there was no guarantee, the expectation was that the new Director General should come from the Asia-Pacific region as none of the previous incumbents, in the 50 year history of the Organisation, had come from this region.

Members will be aware that, in keeping with the importance we attach to the reform of the Organisation and consistent with our active engagement in it, Australia nominated Gareth Evans for this position. Despite a very credible campaign which attracted much interest, he was not successful.

The new Director-General, Mr Matsuura of Japan has already outlined in some detail the strategy he proposes to follow in revitalizing UNESCO and refurbishing its image. His thoughtful and determined approach has attracted widespread support amongst members.

Australia will give Mr Matsuura its full support in his endeavours and we look forward to working with him, including through our membership of the Executive Board.

Pacific Island Involvement in UNESCO

Australia is a member of the Pacific sub-group of the Asia-Pacific region within UNESCO. During the Conference we worked very closely with the Pacific Island Delegations and were deeply appreciative of the strong support that they gave to our Executive Board candidature.

The importance attached by Pacific Island countries to UNESCO and to its programs is reflected in the growth in membership—from 6 Pacific members in early 1989 to 16 members after Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia joined during this General Conference.

One of our priorities in the period ahead will be to develop further the excellent relations with these countries and to build on the support that we are able to offer them in UNESCO.

Australia's Election to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee

During the General Conference there was a meeting of the States party to the World Heritage Convention followed by a meeting of the World Heritage Committee, of which Australia is a member. At the meeting we were successful in being elected to the Bureau of the Committee, as the vice-chair for the Asia-Pacific region.

This outcome gave us the opportunity to pursue our objective of hosting the Committee meeting in the year 2000 in Cairns and serving as Chair of the Committee. As Senator Hill announced over the weekend, Australia's invitation to host this meeting was accepted on the third of December at the 1999 session of the Committee held in Marrakech, Morocco. It was clear during the extraordinary session of the Committee, as it has been at other meetings, that the effort that Australia puts into protecting its natural and cultural heritage is widely regarded as being at the forefront of world practice.

The Committee meeting in Cairns will also give us the opportunity to place a special emphasis not only on Australia's world heritage properties, but on the importance of extending the reach of the Convention into the Pacific region.

As Senator Hill said on the weekend, "Cairns is a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and Queensland's Wet Tropics, providing us with an excellent opportunity to showcase Australia's exemplary standards in World Heritage management".

Youth

The UNESCO General Conference was also notable for the particular emphasis it gave to youth participation. UNESCO, through its Associated Schools Project, and in cooperation with the French Government, hosted the World Parliament of Children, marking the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Australia was represented at this important occasion by students Caitlin Goss from Queensland and Ryan Hall from Victoria. The Parliament produced a Youth Manifesto which was formally presented to the General Conference. It will also be tabled at the Millennium session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The Associated Schools project I have just mentioned forms a valuable global network of schools which places particular emphasis on education and exchanges in the field of heritage, sports and drugs. I had a productive discussion with the Secretariat official responsible for the project and look forward to its wider implementation in Australia.

The General Conference itself also had a Youth Forum at which Australia played a particularly prominent role. Not only did Professor Wiltshire as co-Chair of UNESCO's Youth Council, address the Forum, Australia was elected to the Youth Forum's Drafting Committee, and the two Australian delegates, Mia Handshin and Cameron Forbes, played a leading role in the debate on UNESCO's youth strategies and its youth agenda into the 21st century. The Australian delegates worked in close cooperation with their colleagues from the Asia Pacific region.

Bilateral Meetings

I took the opportunity of the Conference to meet bilaterally with a number of colleagues including Mr Claude Allegre, French Minister for National Education, Research and Technology. My discus sions with Mr Allegre included the recent signing of an MOU by Mr Allegre and Dr Kemp on Education Collaboration and Mutual Recognition of Qualifications, which provides a good platform for ongoing dialogue on education cooperation.

I also met with Mrs Margarethe Vestager, Danish Minister of Education and Ecclesiastical Affairs, with whom I discussed increasing the utilisation of information technology in teaching, reforms in adult education and improving the quality of education through enhanced teacher skills. I also met with Mr Kadel Asmal, Minister of Education of the Republic of South Africa.

These exchanges were useful and provided valuable opportunities to explain Australian Education policies and to learn from the experience of others.

Conclusion

Mr Speaker, let me conclude by paying tribute to the work done in supporting the involvement of the Australian Government in UNESCO by the Australian National Commission. The Commission has amongst its members some of the most eminent Australians in their field who contribute to the work of the Commission in their own time and often at their own expense. The effectiveness of the Australian National Commission is widely recognised by other National Commissions, many of which have sought to follow the Australian model.

Australia's participation in UNESCO enhances our national standing through showcasing Australia's expertise in such areas of human endeavour as bioethics, oceanography, hydrology, indigenous culture and education. It brings direct benefits to Australia in terms of consultancies and trade in services that flow from the contacts that are made during the various meetings. But most importantly our active and effective participation can contribute to needs of countries, particularly those less well off than Australia, through the improvement of basic education standards, the promotion of bioethics and the protection of heritage and human rights.