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Ministerial Statement
Ms SANDRA NORI (Port Jackson—Minister for Tourism and Sport and Recreation, and Minister for Women) [3.34 p.m.]: I wish to make a ministerial statement in my capacity as Minister for Women. I take great pleasure in drawing the attention of the House to two very encouraging outcomes for women that have played out on the global stage in the past couple of weeks. Honourable members may recall that on 25 September last year I drew attention to the fate then threatening a 30-year-old Nigerian woman, Amina Lawal. Ms Lawal was sentenced to death under Sharia law, a form of traditional Islamic law, which has been introduced into a number of northern states in Nigeria in the past few years. She was sentenced to be buried up to her neck and stoned to death for having a child more than nine months after divorce. I am pleased to inform the House that, after a number of delays and many anxious moments during the past nine months, Ms Lawal was finally acquitted of this charge on 25 September this year.
Just over a year ago honourable members argued that Ms Lawal's sentence was barbaric and inhumane, and we urged our colleagues in this place and in a wider State and Federal context to show their support for Ms Lawal and global human rights by signing a petition—which we all signed—directed to President Obasanjo of Nigeria. I thank honourable members and the public of New South Wales for keeping the issue alive by signing form letters and petitions and working on stalls that we organised that were dedicated to Ms Lawal's plight. I also acknowledge the support that I received from my Federal colleagues Tanya Plibersek and Anthony Albanese in holding street stalls in support of Ms Lawal. This is a great win for global human rights. As we said when we first discussed the issue, this case is proof that we must always remain vigilant and press home the need to preserve global human rights.
In a similar vein, I congratulate the Nobel Prize Committee on last week awarding the Nobel Prize for Peace to Ms Shirin Ebadi. Ms Ebadi is a well-known Iranian lawyer who is especially noted for promoting the rights of women and children. I understand that she is the first Muslim woman to be awarded this prize and that she was chosen because of her focus on promoting human rights and democracy in her country. She is a wonderful example to us all and I offer her our congratulations. I also congratulate the Nobel Prize Committee on making a most wise choice.
Mrs JILLIAN SKINNER (North Shore) [3.37 p.m.]: The Coalition joins the Minister for Women in noting with great relief the repeal of the sentence imposed on Ms Amina Lawal. I have given notice of a motion about this matter but I will be pleased to withdraw it in due course. Together with all the other women in this place, I signed the petition to which the Minister referred.
Mr Alan Ashton: So did the men.
Mrs JILLIAN SKINNER: Indeed. This was a matter of concern not only to women but to all right-minded people, especially those of us in this place. I note that the petition was forwarded to the President of Nigeria and I thank those responsible for repealing the sentence. I also commend the awarding of the Nobel Prize for Peace to Ms Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian lawyer. That acknowledgement of her work is a great credit to her and to the Nobel Prize Committee. There is nothing more difficult than representing the rights of women in countries with repressive regimes. Women's rights in such countries have gone backwards in recent years and archaic laws have been introduced regarding acts that we would not consider at all evil. I am pleased on behalf of the Coalition to join with the Minister in expressing my gratitude that this sentence has been withdrawn. I hope that in the future such matters will never need to be brought to the attention of this House.