Public Statements
Public statements made on behalf of Quakers in Australia would be agreed in a spirit of worship at a gathering of Friends from throughout Australia, either the annual national business meeting, known as Yearly Meeting, or the mid-year gathering of representatives from all states, known as Standing Committee. All statements go out over the signature of the Presiding Clerk of Quakers in Australia.
For media comments on issues relating to the Quaker testimonies: Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community and Equality, contact in the first instance the AYM office, telephone 07 3374 0135, email YMsecretary@quakers.org.au.
Public Statement on Same Sex:Same Entitlements
To: Robert McClelland, Att-General, the Shadow Att-Gen and major parties’ legal spokespeople
On behalf of Australian Quakers I write to ask that you will act promptly on the recommendations contained in the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity report, Same-Sex : Same Entitlements, published in June 2007.
As you may know this report from the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission found that 58 federal laws currently deny to same-sex couples and their children entitlements and benefits available to opposite-sex couples and their children.
This same report found that these laws are discriminatory and that they breach important international agreements such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
We believe that no good purpose is served by this continued discrimination. All couples and their children should be dealt with in the same way by our laws.
This same report recommends that the simple amendment of definitions used in the 58 federal laws will remove the discrimination against same-sex couples and their children that the report has identified. We urge you to act on the report’s recommendation promptly.
Public Statement on Indigenous Affairs
To: Jenny Macklin MP, Minister for Indigenous Affairs
I write on behalf of Australian Quakers to express our strong concern regarding the following aspects of the events resulting from the Northern Territory Emergency Response Bill.
• the abolition of the Community Development Employment Program
• the abolition of the permit system
• compulsory leasing by the government of Aboriginal land
• exemption of the Bill from the provisions of the Racial Discimination Act
We would be glad to hear that a review of the consequences flowing from the Northern Territory Emergency Response Bill ensures that the Bill and actions resulting from it are not exempt from the Racial Discrimination Act.
We also hope to hear that an improved community development employment program and an improved permit system are being put in place.
Public Statement on Sri Lanka
Stephen Smith MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Congratulations on becoming Foreign Minister. Our thoughts are with you as you undertake the significant responsibilities of the portfolio.
I write on behalf of Australian Quakers to encourage the Government to take an active role in working with other nations to seek ways to stop the violence in Sri Lanka.
All accounts indicate that the situation has deteriorated significantly recently with the breakdown of the Cease Fire Agreement, and that the suffering of many thousands of people on all sides has increased alarmingly. Human Rights Watch has estimated that over 300,000 people have fled their homes because of the hostilities in the north and east. In addition there are reports of attacks on journalists, and of anti-media statements from government officials inflaming the situation.
As you said in your media release on 6 January, Sri Lanka’s conflict cannot be solved militarily and all parties need to negotiate a solution acceptable to all Sri Lankans. In this regard I would bring to your attention the appended statement of a group of Sri Lankan civil society organisations about the situation. The time seems ripe for a renewed effort by the international community to intervene to achieve this objective.
Would you be willing to initiate discussions with like-minded countries to see what might be done (possibly through the United Nations) to change the dynamics of the conflict in Sri Lanka so that the warring parties can be helped to stop the fighting and renew dialogue under international mediation?
Public Statement on the Death Sentence
Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister
Congratulations on assuming the office of Prime Minister of Australia. We send our best wishes to you as you undertake the critical responsibilities of government on our behalf.
We write to raise with you the question of the death penalty, which of course featured to some extent during the election campaign. Our view is that there is no basis for the use of capital punishment as a public policy in any country under any circumstances. This arises from our deep conviction that everyone has something of the divine within them and that killing a person violates the essence of their humanity.
We applaud the clear statement in the ALP Policy platform (2007, chapter 14 paragraph 97) of the Party’s opposition to the death penalty in any form. We hope that you will in government implement the rest of that statement in the Platform:
Labor in government will strongly and clearly state its opposition to the death penalty, whenever and wherever it arises, and will use its position internationally and in the region to advocate for the universal abolition of the death penalty.
We note that late in 2007, in the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, there were moves to get agreement for a resolution seeking a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, as a step towards total abolition. We are pleased to note that Australia identified itself with the resolution, which was passed by the General assembly on 18 December 2007 (104 in favour, 54 against, 29 abstentions).
There clearly remains hesitancy on the part of some countries to move in this direction, and this means that the issue needs ongoing attention in bilateral and multilateral channels.
We believe it would be consistent with ALP policy for the Government to take the opportunity afforded by that resolution and take further initiatives, in co-operation with other countries, within UN fora and regional bodies such as ASEAN and the South Pacific Forum to have the issue further considered in the coming year.
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