UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY 55th SESSION
Third Committee
Item 114: Elimination of Racism and Racial Discrimination
Statement by Mr Peter Heyward for the Australian Delegation
19 October 2000
Madam Chair
Australia regards racism as a fundamental challenge for all the nations of the international community, both individually and collectively. The Australian Government therefore attaches great importance to the World Conference Against Racism. We fully support the objectives outlined for the Conference in the 1997 United Nations General Assembly resolution, in particular that it formulate concrete recommendations for action-oriented national, regional and international measures aimed at combating racism.
In this context we would like, through you, to draw the attention of the Committee to the Vision Declaration made by the Secretary-General for the Conference and High Commissioner for Human Rights during the Millennium Summit. This Declaration was endorsed by our Prime Minister and many other of the Heads of Government and Heads of State present for the Summit. It is, as the World Conference must be, forward looking. It calls for an inclusive, non-discriminatory world in which diversity of race and culture are not limiting factors in human exchange and development, but means to mutual enrichment. It urges us to treat diversity as a gift rather than a threat in considering the desired outcomes from the Conference.
These are messages which Australia welcomes, and which have strong resonance with our domestic approach. As hosts recently to the Olympic Games we presented ourselves to the world as a nation of many people of diverse origins who live together harmoniously. We have worked hard to achieve and maintain this through our policy of multiculturalism. This policy protects and promotes the right of all Australians to express and share their own cultural heritage within an overriding commitment to the basic structures and values of Australian society. Our National Multicultural Advisory Council describes our society as one built on the foundations of our democracy which will continue to evolve through recognising embracing, valuing and investing in its heritage and cultural diversity. Our Minister for Multicultural Affairs has put it another way. He said that what unites our culturally diverse society is not necessarily a common birthplace but a common commitment to the things we value as a national community.
This includes embracing Australia's indigenous heritage and confronting the ongoing social and economic disadvantage faced by many indigenous people in Australia. The Government is committed to improving the social and economic circumstances of indigenous Australians through practical programmes designed to improve their health, housing, employment and education opportunities. In addition, an array of special laws and programmes in Australia, including laws outlawing all forms of racial discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity and treatment, help to ensure that indigenous Australians can fully participate in civil and political life of the community.
The Government is also committed to a process of reconciliation between indigenous and other Australians as an integral part of its commitment to a fairer Australian society. On 26 August 1999 the Australian Parliament passed an historic motion of reconciliation reaffirming a whole-hearted commitment to the cause of reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous Australian as an important national priority for all Australians.
Madame Chair
Like all other societies, Australia is not completely immune from intolerance and prejudice based on race and culture which, if not constantly worked at, could disrupt our community harmony. However, the great majority of Australians find such attitudes offensive, and completely contrary to our tradition of tolerance; of giving everyone a "fair go". Diversity has enriched us, not harmed us. Australia has a strong tradition of older generation Australians, co-existing harmoniously with newer arrivals. For some years the Government has been running a program called "Living in Harmony" which aims to reinforce these messages through community education and partnerships. Its centrepiece is a community grants program which provides funding for projects which promote community harmony, reduce bigotry and intolerance, and build on previous initiatives for raising cross-cultural awareness, tolerance and understanding. This is based on an understanding that communities are in the best position to recognise and deal with local problems.
Australia believes that this sort of partnership approach is as necessary and as relevant at the regional and global levels as it is at the national level. It is reflected in the High Commissioner's Declaration which envisages a life for every man, woman and child where the exercise of individual gifts and personal rights is affirmed by the dynamic solidarity of our membership of the one human family. If the World Conference Against Racism is to be successful we see it as vital that it look forward and look constructively at the means of realising this vision.
The themes for the provisional agenda of the World Conference, as agreed by the Preparatory Comittee, provide a solid basis for a forward looking agenda. However, we should reiterate a concern expressed by the Western Group in the Preparatory Committee at the time the themes were adopted. This related to the use of the word "compensatory" in the fourth theme, which deals with provision of effective remedies and related measures. We remain of the view that a focus on compensatory measures would not be likely to yield constructive, forward looking outcomes. Nor would it be conducive to agreement on the agenda for cultural change envisaged in the High Commissioner's Declaration.
We see themes such as measures of prevention, education and protection, and strategies to achieve full and effective equality as the main focus for our efforts. It is these considerations which, in our view, are most likely to provide - as the High Commissoner's Declaration says - the culture to ensure full recognition of the dignity and equality of all and full respect for their human rights.
Madame Chair,
Consistent with this approach and these objectives, we consider it vital that all preparatory processes for the Conference be broadly inclusive. They should contribute to the development of a constructive and forward looking conference agenda, and the formulation of a positive and practical program of action. The High Commissioner has made inclusiveness a key theme of her approach to the Conference. She has made clear her view that the policy and practice of ensuring inclusion will be the most effective way to overcome remaining obstacles to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
In this context, Australia continues to believe that all states should have the opportunity to participate fully in the regional preparatory processes for the World Conference. Unfortunately, for Australia and New Zealand, this has not so far been the case. Both states recently participated in the regional preparatory Asia-Pacific Expert Seminar in Bangkok, but the Geneva Asian Group's decision to organise the Tehran regional preparatory meeting along UN Asia Group electoral lines is effectively excluding Australia and New Zealand from full participation in preparatory processes, a situation which Mrs Robinson, as Secretary-General for the Conference, has found of concern.
In all other regional preparatory processes, while different ways of organisation have been used, all states have a place. This means that Australia and New Zealand find themselves in the anomalous situation whereby our two countries, alone among member states, are currently unable to participate fully in the regional preparatory process for this important UN Conference. Not only would this be anomalous, but also inconsistent with previous practice as there are clear precedents for our full participation in the Tehran regional meeting.
Madam Chair,
I am sorry to have introduced a negative note, but we felt it important to draw the attention of all our colleagues to this anomalous situation. All of you know us as active and committed members of the United Nations. You will understand that we feel strongly that we should be accorded the same rights of participation in the preparatory process as all other members.
Further, we feel strongly that we have much to contribute to the work of the Conference. We are a state which has an extraordinarily successful multicultural society, most recently showcased to the whole international community through the Sydney Olympic Games. Australia is a country committed at both national and international levels to stamping out racism wherever it may occur.