New South Wales Human Rights Legislation Irks Chinese Consulate

[Photo Caption: David Shoebridge, New South Wales Greens MP]

New South Wales, Australia —

A record 240,000 signatures of support accompany the Human Tissue Amendment (Trafficking in Human Organs) Bill 2015, proposed by New South Wales (NSW) Greens Member of Parliament (MP), David Shoebridge. The human rights legislation would criminalize all unethical organ transplantation, curbing illicit transplant tourism and further safeguarding Australians from taking part in the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) widespread practice of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners of conscience.

Briefing on Unethical Organ Trade and Impact on New South Wales

Leading up to the bill’s presentation, the Chinese consul general in Sydney preempted a parliamentary “Briefing on Unethical Organ Trade and Impact on NSW,” hosted by Mr. Shoebridge, with a letter to the president of the NSW Legislative Council. The letter vaguely implies that participation by NSW officials in any “activities which are presented by the Falun Gong,” will interfere with peaceful cooperation and development of economic relations between China and NSW. The letter further libels Falun Gong and superficially claims that the CCP “has attached great importance to the protection of human rights […]”

Mr. Shoebridge responded, saying “this is an extraordinary and inappropriate intervention in Australian domestic politics by the Chinese government. I hope MPs will be principled enough to stand up to this bullying by the Consulate […] Australia has an obligation to do its part to legislate to stop this brutal and unethical trade in human organs.”

In attendance at the briefing, Andrew Bush, a senior member of the Sydney Liberal Party, added: “the issue is absolutely vital. The issue of forced live organ harvesting should be above party politics. […] I really hope that all members of all parties see it as a human rights issue and support it.”

Andrew Bush, senior member of the Sydney Liberal Party

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