Julie Bishop is in New York to "announce" Australia's candidacy for appointment to the UN Human Rights Council along with Saudi Arabia and similar fonts of the milk of human kindness.

She will also hand $44M as a donation to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (but you knew something like that was coming, right?) This is not the first time Bishop has launched the bid - in fact that honour apparently belongs to Rudd/Gillard and Labor.

LAUNCH #1

 

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has announced that Australia is running for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council for the period of 2018 to 2020. The bid was originally made by the previous government, and has now been officially endorsed by this one.

 

 

 

LAUNCH #2

 

On 29 September 2015 Bishop and partner re-announced Labor's bid in a speech to the UN General Assembly - here's the transcript of Bishop's address.

 

Australia is standing for the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2018-2020 term – this is the first time that our country has sought election to this body.

I believe that Australia would bring to the Human Rights Council the same principled and practical approach that distinguished our 2013-2014 Security Council term. 

Should we be elected, our focus would be on empowering women and girls, strengthening governance and democratic institutions, promoting freedom, freedom of expression, and advancing human rights for all. 

Our term on the Human Rights Council would reflect Australia’s inclusive, diverse society, and build on the Australian Government’s strong domestic human rights agenda.On October 15 2015 Bishop launched the bid again.

ENDS

LAUNCH #3

 

On Monday 19 October 2015 Bishop launched the bid again with Gillian Triggs here in Australia.

 

 

 

 

 

LAUNCH #4

 

On 17 November 2015 DFAT relaunched the bid with this video and online package.

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAUNCH #5

 

On 22 September 2016 Prime Minister Turnbull was in New York to deliver an address to the UN General Assembly - which he used to push the bid - "Mr President, it is this maturity and honesty that Australia would bring to the Human Rights Council, should we be elected for our first ever term from 2018 to 2020".

 

 

 

Not-Quite-a-LAUNCH 

 

On 30 October 2016 - perhaps miffed that Malcolm wanted a turn at the UN General Assembly speech -Julie Bishop put the bid in the news again and we reported it with this quote - "Julie Bishop wants another reason to go to New York".

 

Australia's bid to join Saudi Arabia on the UN Human Rights Council. Seriously.

Sunday, 30 October 2016

Until July this year, Saudi Arabia chaired the UN Human Rights Council.  Yesterday Saudi Arabia was voted back on to the HRC for another year, while Russia was voted out.

Now Julie Bishop wants another reason to go to New York.

Check out the HRC website http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/AboutCouncil.aspx

ENDS

 

 

 

Connie's LAUNCH #1

On 28 February this year minister with training wheels Concetta FV Wells had another stab at it.

Concetta FV Wells pleads with UN to sit with Saudi Arabia on Human Rights Council

Tuesday, 28 February 2017

What a shameful display - crawling to the United Nations for the chance to sit alongside Saudi Arabia judging others on human rights.

What the hell do we gain from that?

Concetta and Ken&Barbie might like the travel and parties but that's a disgraceful imposition on the rest of us.

Listen to CFVW explain to their ABC that it's not even about us - it's about the freakin' whole Pacific region.

The World Is Not Enough.

 

Follow

C Fierravanti-Wells @Senator_CFW

Pleased to speak w @abcnews24 about Aus candidacy 4seat on #UNHuman Rights Council 2018-20 - supporting&representing #Pacificregion #HRC34

7:27 AM - 28 Feb 2017

 

 

 

LAUNCH #6 - today

 

And as we speak - Ms Bishop is in New York to, ahem - launch Australia's candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council.

Minister, we aren't fools.  No one likes to be treated like an idiot - and that's the way you're treating us.

I've no doubt the 'launch' will involve an 'event' with beautiful people getting on it at our expense.

We used to be a middle ranking power that took itself seriously.  So did other countries.

Wonder if the Kardashians will be there? 

Visit to the United States

Media release

16 May 2017

I will visit New York from 16 to 20 May, where I will launch Australia’s inaugural candidacy for the Human Rights Council for the term 2018-2020 at United Nations Headquarters, and meet senior Trump Administration and UN officials.

Australia’s campaign for a seat on the Human Rights Council reflects our commitment to working with other nations to find long-term practical solutions to complex human rights challenges. In addition to the launch, I will hold a series of meetings and events engaging with Ambassadors to the UN to promote our candidacy. 

If elected, Australia will add a valuable Indo-Pacific perspective and bring to the Council the same principled, pragmatic and consultative approach that distinguished our term on the UN Security Council.

While in New York I will meet the US Ambassador to the United Nations and member of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, Nikki Haley, to discuss US-Australian cooperation in the UN.

I will announce a four-year, $44 million partnership agreement with the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to help meet humanitarian needs globally. The CERF provides critical life-saving assistance by responding rapidly to fast-developing crisis situations and supporting underfunded existing crises.

I will also meet Michael Bloomberg to discuss our collaboration on the Data for Health initiative. I will announce the innovationXchange’s new partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Australian software company Atlassian on a labour force challenge. This partnership will help young people from the Indo-Pacific region prepare for the workforce of the future. 

I will also meet senior business figures and the American Australian Association to promote Australian trade and investment and seek future opportunities for Australian business in the US.

ENDS

Those luminary shit-hole human rights beacons again: