Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CANBERRA340
2009-04-03 07:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Canberra
Cable title:
AUSTRALIA'S STATEMENT ON SUPPORT FOR UN
how-toVZCZCXRO8439 OO RUEHPT DE RUEHBY #0340 0930721 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 030721Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1317 INFO RUEHBN/AMCONSUL MELBOURNE PRIORITY 6216 RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH PRIORITY 4479 RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY PRIORITY 4435 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2003 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0777
UNCLAS CANBERRA 000340
SIPDIS
STATE FOR DRL AND EAP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA'S STATEMENT ON SUPPORT FOR UN
DECLARATION ON RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
REF: A. CANBERRA 306
B. CANBERRA 317
UNCLAS CANBERRA 000340
SIPDIS
STATE FOR DRL AND EAP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA'S STATEMENT ON SUPPORT FOR UN
DECLARATION ON RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
REF: A. CANBERRA 306
B. CANBERRA 317
1. Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and
Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin made a public statement
April 3 on behalf of the GOA announcing that Australia had
changed its position on the UN Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples and has issued a statement of support. The
Declaration, adopted in 2007, is non-binding but in issuing
the statement in support, Australia accepts the document as a
framework for recognizing and protecting the rights of
Indigenous Australians.
2. Professor Mick Dodson, Australian of the Year spoke as an
indigenous leader and representative to the UN Permanent
Forum on Indigenous Issues. He commented that the rights set
out in the Declaration have direct and meaningful application
in addressing indigenous disadvantage and closing the gaps
between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. For
example, the Declaration expresses indigenous peoples' rights
to participate in decisions that affect their lives, to
cultural respect, and to protect and conserve their lands.
All of these rights are directly associated with getting
improved outcomes for people in health, education, employment
and every other area of disadvantage.
3. COMMENT: Most of the rights outlined in the Declaration
are already recognized and protected in Australia through
domestic laws or support for other international conventions
and treaties. In fact, the Declaration does not suggest any
'new' or 'special' rights for indigenous people. It draws
together existing rights from other international laws and
conventions such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and explains how they apply to indigenous peoples. The
declaration gives existing human rights standards an
indigenous social and cultural context. By doing this, the
Declaration asks nations to pay attention to treating
indigenous peoples' rights as seriously as the rights of all
other citizens. Article 46 of the Declaration states:
"Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as
authorizing or encouraging any action which would dismember
or impair, totally or in part, the territorial integrity or
political unity of sovereign and independent States." This
means that the rights in the Declaration cannot be
interpreted in any way that threatens national unity,
encourages indigenous separatism or create laws that conflict
with Australian law.
RICHE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR DRL AND EAP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA'S STATEMENT ON SUPPORT FOR UN
DECLARATION ON RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
REF: A. CANBERRA 306
B. CANBERRA 317
1. Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and
Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin made a public statement
April 3 on behalf of the GOA announcing that Australia had
changed its position on the UN Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples and has issued a statement of support. The
Declaration, adopted in 2007, is non-binding but in issuing
the statement in support, Australia accepts the document as a
framework for recognizing and protecting the rights of
Indigenous Australians.
2. Professor Mick Dodson, Australian of the Year spoke as an
indigenous leader and representative to the UN Permanent
Forum on Indigenous Issues. He commented that the rights set
out in the Declaration have direct and meaningful application
in addressing indigenous disadvantage and closing the gaps
between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. For
example, the Declaration expresses indigenous peoples' rights
to participate in decisions that affect their lives, to
cultural respect, and to protect and conserve their lands.
All of these rights are directly associated with getting
improved outcomes for people in health, education, employment
and every other area of disadvantage.
3. COMMENT: Most of the rights outlined in the Declaration
are already recognized and protected in Australia through
domestic laws or support for other international conventions
and treaties. In fact, the Declaration does not suggest any
'new' or 'special' rights for indigenous people. It draws
together existing rights from other international laws and
conventions such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and explains how they apply to indigenous peoples. The
declaration gives existing human rights standards an
indigenous social and cultural context. By doing this, the
Declaration asks nations to pay attention to treating
indigenous peoples' rights as seriously as the rights of all
other citizens. Article 46 of the Declaration states:
"Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as
authorizing or encouraging any action which would dismember
or impair, totally or in part, the territorial integrity or
political unity of sovereign and independent States." This
means that the rights in the Declaration cannot be
interpreted in any way that threatens national unity,
encourages indigenous separatism or create laws that conflict
with Australian law.
RICHE