Senator DI NATALE (Victoria) (15:48): I seek leave to make a short statement. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for two minutes. Senator DI NATALE: This motion relates to the third Papuan National Congress in Jayapura in West Papua. This was a congress of the West Papuan people, with 3,000 or so people—perhaps more—gathering peacefully in an attempt to discuss their future, a future that has been denied to them by the Indonesian government. There are some important lessons from Australia's reaction to the situation in East Timor and what resulted there that can be applied here. If we are to learn anything from history, we need to learn that when human rights abuses are committed it is our duty and our obligation as good neighbours to the Indonesian people to take a very strong, principled and direct stand against those abuses. This motion does nothing more than suggest that the violent crackdown that occurred in West Papua— Honourable senators interjecting— Senator Bob Brown: I rise on a point of order. I am very close to Senator Di Natale but there is so much noise in here that I cannot hear him. It is a very important issue. I think that he should be heard in some silence. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Brown. I remind senators to be orderly and quiet while Senator Di Natale is addressing the chamber. Senator DI NATALE: This motion does nothing more than condemn what I hope all Australians would condemn, and that is the violent crackdown on innocent, peaceful people gathering to discuss and determine their own future, a crackdown that resulted in the deaths of seven people and that violently affected countless others. And there were a number of arrests: we now have a number of Papuan leaders in prison for doing nothing more than expressing their right to determine their own future. We ask the Australian government to not be complicit in these abuses. We ask the Australian government to cease and desist its support for the Indonesian police and the Indonesian military. As part of being a good neighbour, we should respect human rights and show some leadership on this very important issue. Question put: That the motion (Senator Di Natale's) be agreed to. The Senate divided. [15:51] (The Deputy President—Senator Parry) Question negatived.