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Thursday, 24 November 2011
Page: 9503

Senator MADIGAN (Victoria) (12:21): I move:

That the Senate—

   (a)   notes:

   (i)   the recent demonstrations in West Papua calling for a referendum declaring independence from Indonesia and the resulting 19 deaths that occurred during the demonstrations, and

   (ii)   that the people of West Papua are facing a situation similar to the people of East Timor in that while both were defended by Australians during World War II, Australia failed to support them when they were annexed by Indonesia; and

   (b)   calls on the Government to:

   (i)   commence dialogue with the Indonesian Government and to work with the West Papuans in establishing the free state of West Papua,

   (ii)   offer Indonesia support by way of funding and the services of the Australian Electoral Commission to organise a free and democratic election, and

   (iii)   support the West Papuan request for United Nations’ recognition of their right to independence.

I seek leave to make a brief statement.

The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for two minutes.

Senator MADIGAN: The people of West Papua, like all people in the world, are entitled to pursue the very rights we defend in this house, namely the right to choose their future and to live in a free and democratic society. Over many years, we have rightly sent troops across the world to protect the most fundamental right of all human beings, the right to live in peace and liberty. In recent times we have given our support to the people of Libya who fought for their right to live under a freely elected government of their choice. Surely, if we have learned something from those tragic years of East Timor, we cannot continue to ignore another neighbour who holds out a hand seeking our support.