14th Mar 2012, 3:45 PM – Senate Motions - Convention on the Rights of the Child - Sign Third Optional Protocol

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Greens Senator for SA Sarah Hanson-Young, which means it was rejected.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) the launch of the Third Optional Protocol on the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which proposes four procedures for children, young people, and their advocates to report a violation of child rights directly to the Committee on the Rights of the Child,

(ii) that the Third Optional Protocol opened for signature on 28 February 2012 and was signed on that day by countries, including Austria, Belgium, Chile, Costa Rica, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Maldives, Mali, Montenegro, Morocco, Peru, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Uruguay; and

(iii) the Third Optional Protocol offers a crucial opportunity to strengthen mechanisms for equality and justice for all children and young people in Australia; and

(b) calls on the Government to ensure that Australia signs on to the Third Optional Protocol on the Convention on the Rights of the Child without delay.