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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 9 Hansard (7 September) . . Page.. 3039 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

The United States should do so and other Western countries should do so, but I do not think that it is going to help one iota if Canberra, one city amongst a number of cities in Australia which already have sister city relationships with Chinese cities, goes down the path Ms Tucker is seeking to take us. I do not think that is going to assist at all. I think that this government has a far better chance with what it has been doing-the evolving relationships that will flow from the contacts we have made and will continue to make-of ultimately achieving what Ms Tucker seeks with her proposal.

MR RUGENDYKE (5.57): I will be brief, Mr Speaker. There was an interesting picture/story on page 3 of the Canberra Times on Tuesday about the Australian National University's Dr Colin Groves leading a team of scientists who are on the brink of proving the existence of several mystery mammal species as a result of the discovery of a treasure trove of forgotten specimens in the basements of the Beijing Institute of Zoology and Shanghai's National History Museum. The Australian members of that team returned recently from China, where they had catalogued the specimens.

If there was ever a prime example of a spirit of cooperation between the two nations, that would be it. The government would like us to build on this type of cooperation by forming a sister city arrangement with Beijing. I, like everyone else in this place, acknowledge that China does not have a proud history on human rights issues. However, I would suggest that everyone in this place would also acknowledge that China's record in this area has improved in recent years.

Mr Osborne: Read this.

Ms Tucker: I told you that it has not.

MR RUGENDYKE: Some members disagree. A vast country like China is not going to be turned on its head overnight; it will be a gradual process. I believe that we should be taking the opportunity to engage with the Chinese, rather than isolating them. We should take the opportunity to work with them and be a positive influence in human rights issues.

My feeling is that we should be building bridges and encouraging the Chinese. The Canberra Chinese Special Events Committee has made representations to this effect, stating that greater accountability, openness, acceptance of the rule of law and respect for human rights can be best achieved by fostering friendly ties through sister city programs rather than punitive actions or isolation.

The Chief Minister mentioned a letter from the president of the ACT Chinese Australian Association, Mrs Alice Chu. I was going to read the same quote, but it is now on the record and I will not repeat it. Suffice it to say that I value my friendship and association with Mrs Chu as a neighbour, apart from the last few weeks. But I will repeat the following quote:

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