Fed: Aust continues moving on human rights concerns

AAP General News (Australia)
08-08-2008
Fed: Aust continues moving on human rights concerns

CANBERRA, Aug 8 AAP - Attorney-General Robert McClelland says Australia will end the
"hypocrisy" of lecturing its neighbours on human rights without always setting a good
example of its own.

The federal government yesterday issued a standing invitation to the United Nations
Human Rights Council to visit Australia to monitor and report on human rights in the country.

It is part of a broader move by Labor to re-engage Australia with the UN after a strained
relationship between the former Howard government and the international body.

The council has a mandate to examine, monitor, advise and publicly report on human
rights situations in countries but must receive permission from the nation involved.

Mr McClelland told ABC Radio the move was part of the government's aim to rejoin the
"good citizens" of the world.

"It signifies that the Rudd government is re-engaging with the international community
and joining international good citizens such as Canada, the United Kingdom and New Zealand
in recognising and facilitating the international human rights system," he said.

"I think the United Nations will appreciate (this).

"It's more than a gesture, it's significant, it helps to facilitate and give credibility
to the international human rights framework.

"It's quite hypocritical for a modern advanced nation to call upon neighbouring countries
to lift their standards in a number of human rights areas if we aren't prepared to set
our own example."

AAP so/cjh/cdh

KEYWORD: RIGHTS MCCLELLAND

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