Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:609;Page:6682] 
5.  
LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN (NZ Labour—Mana) 
 to the  
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
: What recommendations were made by the Pacific Forum Foreign Ministers meeting in Sydney yesterday in regard to the situation in the Solomon Islands? 
Hon PHIL GOFF (Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade) 
: 
 The Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers meeting in Sydney yesterday decided unanimously to recommend to forum leaders a package of strengthened assistance to the Solomon Islands. This will include a policing operation to restore law and order supported as necessary by armed peacekeepers and a programme of assistance to strengthen the justice system and to restore the economy and basic social services. 
Luamanuvao Winnie Laban 
: What multilateral support is being offered by way of assistance to the Solomon Islands in response to its request? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: Of course the Pacific Islands Forum itself is a multilateral organisation and the support was offered unanimously. What is more more than half the countries present at the forum said they would give not only support in principle but also practical support. The Commonwealth Secretary-General has also endorsed the moves being made by the Pacific Forum countries and when the matter was referred to the United Nations Department of Political Affairs the United Nations also responded warmly to the effort being made by the forum countries to respond to the request from a sovereign country for badly needed help. 
Dr Wayne Mapp 
: Given that the Minister has indicated that the United Nations is only informed at best why does the Minister insist on going through that process whereas Mr Downer the Australian Foreign Minister has specifically said: “The United Nations is unable to deal with collapsing societies such as the Solomon Islands.”? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: I think I have spoken to Mr Downer rather more recently than the member. Mr Downer has confirmed that where we can get multilateral support that really helps the achievement of the objectives being set out. Once a final decision has been made the same process will be followed with regard to the Solomon Islands as was followed in relation to the deployment in Bougainville. The United Nations will be notified by the Solomon Islands under article 54 and the United Nations will respond warmly to the effort that is being made to restore security and stability in the region. 
Keith Locke 
: In what the Minister has described as essentially a policing operation would it not be a little bit over the top for the Australia - New Zealand military back-up force—recognising the need for a military back-up force—to be something approaching 2000 soldiers when the police will be confronting a relatively isolated and disparate group of criminal elements rather than an organised military force? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: The member is right that the proposal is for a police-led deployment. The restoration of law and order is after all a policing task and not a military task. The member is also right that we need to have a military back-up of armed peacekeepers because there are estimated to be up to 750 high-powered weapons in the community. I guess the country that should have the greatest say on this is the Solomon Islands and the Solomon Islands Government has indicated comfort with the sort of figures that were discussed at the forum yesterday. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: Do the detachments that were discussed at the forum yesterday in respect of New Zealand have the approval of the New Zealand Cabinet at this stage and if they do not have that approval what is their status in terms of both their ultimate approval and the time line by which they might be implemented? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: There are a couple of prerequisites before support can go ahead. One is obviously the formal request through the Governor-General of the Solomon Islands; the second is for the Solomon Islands Parliament to pass legislation. In anticipation of that Cabinet will shortly be discussing the nature the shape and the size of the deployment that is being made—policing military and aid. I would expect Cabinet to be considering that in the near future. It has not been done yet no. 
Dr Wayne Mapp 
: I seek leave of the House to table a report in the Australian newspaper the  
Courier Mail 
 in which Mr Downer says that the United Nations is unable to solve the problems of rogue States and collapsing societies such as the Solomon Islands. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is.