Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Senate. The government does not support this motion, does not support dealing with complex foreign policy matters by way of a simple Senate resolution. I do wish again to inform the Senate the Australian government has discussed the broader question of human rights in the Papuan provinces with the Indonesian government and has said that Indonesia should respect the rights of all its citizens. The Australian government respects Indonesia's territorial integrity, including its sovereignty over the Papuan provinces. This is a longstanding bipartisan position that was enshrined in 2008 with the ratification of the Lombok Treaty. The government also recognises that, under President Yudhoyono, Indonesia's human rights record and scope for freedom of expression have improved markedly. Finally, the Senate will be aware that Australia is expanding its $40 million development assistance program to the Papuan provinces.