Page 3405 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 17 September 1991
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acknowledge the role played by Legacy as an organisation supporting the sons and daughters of members of the armed services of Australia - their fathers, and mothers in some cases - who served overseas and who paid the supreme sacrifice. I think it has already been indicated in this house that my colleague Mr Collaery is a legatee. I encourage all members of the Assembly, if they are given the opportunity, to support the work of this worthy organisation.
Amnesty International
MR COLLAERY (5.58): I will not detain the Government from its festivities - rightful festivities, I suppose, because putting a budget together is a lot of work. Naturally, I can imagine what their party room was like in their budget Cabinet deliberations, so they deserve a break. They really deserve a break. I am not sure who the victors are who are going into the festivities tonight; but, anyway, I wish them all well - victors and vanquished.
Mr Speaker, I rise to talk on a more important topic, just for a few minutes, and that is that we have had trouble maintaining our section of Amnesty International in the Assembly because of work pressures, the change of government and changes of staff, because the Assembly staff assist so much in organising it. With countries like Papua New Guinea reintroducing the death penalty, as they have horrendously done in the last few weeks, with resort to violence continuing in our communities, with human rights violations occurring in many parts of the world - parts that concern minorities who live in Australia - I firmly encourage all members of the house to restate their interest in Amnesty.
I ask them to support my call for Amnesty to have a meeting, next week if possible, at which we can revitalise the chapter in the chamber and immediately start some work on some very pressing concerns of civil rights, particularly the rights of a very brave and courageous woman in Burma who certainly faces clandestine death as a result of her continued house detention. I believe that we need to do work on the Burmese situation. The human rights of people in Papua New Guinea and Bougainville, and the activities and the rule of law there, need to be examined. Of course, Amnesty is a peaceful non-political humanitarian force. I would enjoin members who wish to get involved to come along to Amnesty. If anyone wishes to take over the chapter and run it, well and good. Perhaps we could meet next week, Mr Speaker.
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