Fed: Liberal MP describes UN as fantasy indulgent theme park

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2000
Fed: Liberal MP describes UN as fantasy indulgent theme park

CANBERRA, Aug 30 AAP - Liberal MP Andrew Thomson today launched a scathing attack on
the United Nations human rights headquarters, describing it as a theme park for indulging
the fantasies of advocate groups.

The federal government announced yesterday it would veto nearly all visits by UN human
rights investigators in response to critical findings about Australia's treatment of Aborigines
and asylum seekers.

Mr Thomson, chairman of federal parliament's treaties committee, said one visit to
the UN human rights operation at Geneva had been enough to convince him it was useless.

"Really they struck me as just a theme park for indulging the fantasies of the global
NGO (non-government organisation) guilt movement," he told the ABC.

"That's really what got them going, just hearing these unrepresentative NGOs heap abuse
on gold-plated democracies like Australia."

Mr Thomson said the UN also appeared to be confused about its role.

"They're in a hell of a mess there, they don't have enough money or staff to run the
place properly, they don't understand their role, they don't know whether they're a political
outfit or a legal outfit," he said.

Fellow Liberal Alan Ferguson, who chairs an inquiry into Australia's relationship with
the UN, said he would defend Australia's position to UN officials during a three-month
stint at its New York base.

"I'm quite sure it will be an issue that's raised because the United Nations goes into
committee work in October and November and one of the six main committees (of) the United
Nations deals with treaty obligations," he said.

United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson has warned Australia against
being over defensive and told the government not to get carried away in its opposition
to the UN system.

AAP kmh/arb

KEYWORD: UN AUST MPS

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