Cambodian elections
Tim RICHARDSON (Mordialloc) (13:05): Democracy in Cambodia, under the rule of Hun Sen and the Cambodian government, has been killed. Recently I joined the Cambodian community in Victoria alongside the outstanding member for Clarinda Meng Heang Tak to strongly condemn the recent sham elections that occurred in Cambodia in July. What we saw during these elections was abhorrent and devastating for the people of Cambodia. Opposition parties were banned from contesting elections against Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party. Political opponents were imprisoned and trade unionists and democracy advocates were intimidated into fear and silence. Never should the words ‘democracy’ and ‘elections’ be uttered in the same breath as ‘the Cambodian government’. Instead Cambodia is better described as a dictatorship. Illustrative of this is the recent transfer of power from Hun Sen to his son Hun Manet and a range of other ministerial portfolios that have been handed down to their children.
Australia lives in a free, inclusive and harmonious society where respect for the rule of law, election outcomes, freedom of speech and association is cherished. Our Cambodian communities in Victoria have richly added to our multicultural and inclusive society under a free and transparent democracy. Today we stand in solidarity with our Cambodian communities in Victoria and Australia to demand free and fair elections in Cambodia. We call on the Australian government, the Australian Parliament and parliaments across the states and territories in our nation to strongly condemn these disgraceful and sham elections.