The Australian Greens have called on the Federal Government to do everything it can to help the 20,000 Burmese refugees being forced back into Burma by the Thai Government.

"Australia is considering boosting the aid it sends to the Thai-Burma border where thousands of people are seeking refuge. We should bring forward this aid funding now to partner organisations in the area, rather than waiting for the emergency to get any worse," said Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam.

The Australian Greens have called on the Federal Government to take a strong stand against the ruling Burmese junta's violent repression of its own people.

"Having completed their sham election, the dictators of Burma are concentrating on brutalising ethnic minorities and anyone it suspects of supporting democratic groups within the country," said Senator Scott Ludlam. "Many people have been killed and about 10,000 refugees have fled from Burma into Thailand as the Burmese army moves to crush any resistance to its bloody rule."

On the eve of national elections in Burma, the national conference of the Australian Greens has unanimously passed a resolution in support of genuine democratic reforms, and called on the Australian Government to not recognise the sham poll.

“Nobody should be fooled by tomorrow’s sham election, contested with thousands of pro-democracy activists in prison and based on a manifestly corrupt constitution,” Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam said.

Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade
Monday 18th

CHAIR-Senator Ludlam is the only person who has questions here. I welcome Dr Austin and Dr Hearn from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. Senator Ludlam has indicated he wants to ask some questions about Burma and perhaps elsewhere, so we will go to Senator Ludlam.

Senator LUDLAM-Thanks, gentlemen, for joining us. This will be fairly quick. Your website states that you have active projects in Burma, and I am just wondering whether you can share some detail on those projects and the costs of same.

DFAT 18 October 2010

Senator LUDLAM-I will kick off with a couple of questions on Burma, if we have the right folk at the table.

Mr Borrowman-That is me.

Senator LUDLAM-You get all the hard ones.

Mr Borrowman-I will not disappoint you as much as last time.

Senator LUDLAM-Since the last time we spoke, the projected increase for the Australian aid budget to Burma is in the order of 30 per cent to 40 per cent, which is extremely welcome. I am just wondering in light of the budget whether you can tell us how much you know about where that aid money will go and where it will hit the ground.

Senator LUDLAM-Can you confirm for us whether or not we have a date for a proposed election in Burma, if I may call it that, and what positioning the Australian government is taking in the lead-up?

WA Greens Senator Scott Ludlam is calling on the federal government to use this Saturday's Burma National Day of Action to declare that Australia will not accept the result of the country's mock 'election' expected later this year.

"The poll won't be free or fair with opposition figures routinely imprisoned, murdered, intimidated, and prevented from participating. Preventing Aung San Suu Kyi from participating is only the tip of the iceberg. We must send a strong message that the outcome will be considered illegitimate," Senator Ludlam said.

(Question No. 2493)