In 1997 this government abandoned the resolution, deciding that for us the human rights dialogue was likely to be more productive. This was roundly attacked by the Labor Party. The member for Kingsford-Smith described this as 'Chamberlain style appeasement'. At the Australian Labor Party conference this year, there were sorts of resolutions and there was a desultory discussion about foreign affairs. But I searched for reference at the Labor Party conference to the continuation of the human rights dialogue if Labor were elected - and I found it.
Labor is now in favour of our human rights dialogue.
The press releases go out. Everything that the Howard government does is an outrage, appalling, astonishing, 'We are totally against it' - a few days later they support it.