Page 51 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 12 February 1991
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fighting; we want to indicate, as representatives of the Australian Capital Territory, what we believe about their efforts overseas on our behalf.
A concept that was quite fashionable, quite in vogue, in an international political sense a few years ago is not quite so often discussed or referred to these days. It was the principle of self-determination; that people had the right to determine the way in which they lived and were governed by people of their own class or creed or race. In some senses, as I said, that term, that expression, that concept, has become a bit old-fashioned.
I am afraid that I am old-fashioned, Mr Speaker. I think that everybody should have self-determination and, what is more, that every other citizen of this world has an obligation to do their best to ensure that people of this world, whatever country they might belong to, share that right to self-determination. With that kind of principle, my attitude towards the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait was very simple. The oppression of any human being, anywhere on this planet, is my business, and it is the business of this Assembly. I think we have every right, Mr Speaker, to be standing in this place, debating that issue and discussing whether we as Australians have a contribution to make to what the Americans call in their Constitution, I think, the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of other human beings.
I might point out just for the record, before we are criticised any further for raising this issue, this dastardly issue, that we are not the first people to have raised an international issue, if you can call it that. I do not think it is an international issue; I think it is an issue that affects Canberra very directly. But let us call it an international issue. We are not the first ones to have raised international issues in this place. Those opposite have raised South Africa and the Berlin Wall, to name but two items.
Mr Wood: In the adjournment debate.
MR HUMPHRIES: Not just in the adjournment debate. We have had substantive debate on South Africa in this place. I suggest that you cast your minds back and refresh your memories on what was said before. Ms Follett, just before this debate, actually, said that war is a last resort. When, Mr Speaker, do we reach that last resort? In the context of this particular debate, what else would it require to dislodge Saddam Hussein from Kuwait and to have him respect the human rights of Kuwaiti people?
Those opposite have not really answered that question. They have sort of suggested that maybe sanctions would do it, but not really, because sanctions, you know, were not really properly pursued. They have sort of implied - I do not think with much seriousness - that by marching outside the Iraqi Embassy we might do some good in that regard.
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