Page 1296 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 23 August 1989
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Secondly, Mr Speaker, I would draw members' attention to some rather startling events that have occurred on the world scene, no more so perhaps initially than in the Soviet Union in the last few months. It seems that Mr Gorbachev indeed has raised a number of freedoms which had been extinguished in Eastern Europe since World War II, and indeed there are very promising signs behind the Iron Curtain, one of the most promising of which occurred on Monday this week when, for the first time since World War II, a democratically elected government was formed in Poland and a democratically elected Prime Minister, the first since World War II, was nominated.
Indeed, I think perhaps, Mr Speaker, it behoves this Assembly, a new democratic body itself, in existence for only some four months, to do something about that. I would suggest, and indeed move, that this Assembly send a congratulatory letter to Tadeusz Mazowiecki, the Prime Minister elect of Poland, upon his election to the first democratic Polish government since World War II.
Anniversary of Birth of Louis XVI
DR KINLOCH (6.09): Mr Speaker, I am much moved by my colleague's remarks and I would like to endorse them most heartily. I notice also that today is the anniversary of the birth of Louis XVI and I wish to undertake, with my hand on my heart, Napoleon-style, never to allow the introduction of guillotines into this Territory.
Leadership of Residents Rally
MR COLLAERY (6.10): I rise to support my colleague Mr Stefaniak in the sentiments he has expressed, and in particular, Mr Speaker, with respect to the great trials and tribulations of the Polish people in those years that he mentioned and indeed even earlier, during the Russification of that section of Europe.
Mr Speaker, I feel a great sense of satisfaction to hear Mr Stefaniak raise a matter relating to our foreign friends abroad and one hopes that that signals the opportunity in due course to debate issues and standards, ethical issues in a wider plane, that can help balance and bring back conscience to some of the issues in this Assembly.
Mr Speaker, there have been, over the last few years, members of the Solidarity movement cared for in our Canberra community. They have been housed; their cases have been argued with our immigration service; and the community, the Polish priests and others, have joined in assisting several families, some of whom still wait to have their permanent residence applications resolved.
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