Page 2666 - Week 12 - Thursday, 16 November 1989
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UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
Debate resumed from 15 November 1989, on motion by Mr Stevenson:
That the Assembly calls -
(1) upon the Federal Government to defer signing or progressing the UN convention on the rights of the child;
(2) for full public and parliamentary debate on all UN conventions; and
(3) on the Chief Minister to convey to the Prime Minister the concern of this Assembly that laws purporting to be for the peace, welfare and good government of the citizens of Canberra are being proposed and made other than through debate and due parliamentary process of the ACT Assembly.
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister) (4.05): I think it is unfortunate indeed that Mr Stevenson has seen fit to raise this matter in the way that he did, a way that could give rise to confusion and concern in the community. In fact there is no need for people to be misinformed in the way that he has set out to misinform them. Perhaps the best way of addressing the motion that Mr Stevenson has moved is, first of all, to make some comment on the current practice relating to the adoption of conventions, because Mr Stevenson has cast aspersions in that regard and has made some very sweeping statements about the effect of those conventions.
The draft convention on the rights of the child has been discussed in the United Nations for some 10 years, so the impression that Mr Stevenson gives, that it has been sprung upon people, is totally misleading and, in fact, probably serves only to demonstrate his own ignorance. Australia has been an active participant in the drafting of that convention, and the draft will now progress into the third committee of the UN General Assembly for discussion at the December session of the General Assembly.
There are two stages to the adoption of an international convention. First of all, the proposed convention is open for signature by all states parties. Normally this precedes ratification and indicates an adoption of the text as authentic, rather than an expression of consent to be bound.
On ratification, the legal obligations provided for by the convention are undertaken. The proposed convention on the rights of the child will enter into force 30 days after the twentieth instrument of ratification is deposited with the secretary-general of the United Nations.
The Australian Government will take a decision on ratification only after the agreed text has been endorsed by the UN General Assembly. In addition, the Commonwealth
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