Australian governments of both persuasions (Liberal and Labor) have long given lip service only, to human rights when dealing with the Chinese communist regime.

The government bends over backwards to avoid criticizing China so as not to jeopardize trade with the regime.
When profit is to be made, then human rights, integrity, and moral principles are nowhere to be seen.

A recent example is a hearing on June 8 in Canberra of the Inquiry into Human Organ Trafficking and Organ Transplant Tourism.

The hearing heard from, and received, many written submissions from human rights groups and concerned citizens about the state sponsored organ harvesting trade in China, where prisoners of conscience, mainly Falun Gong practitioners, but also house Christians, Tibetans and Uyghurs, are killed on the operating table so the regime can profit from the sale of their organs.

These are crimes against humanity but the Australian government doesn't want to know.

The committee also heard from a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

When asked about the trade in human organs, the spokesperson stated that the situation was "improving" because there is now an organ donation register. In fact, this register was only set up about five years ago as a sop to western sensibilities and to try to divert attention from the unexplained source of organs.

Organ donations since the register started account for much less than 1 percent of organs traded.

DFAT has no credibility

When asked about the submissions of forced organ harvesting, the spokesperson stated that "there is no credible evidence to substantiate these allegations."

The committee members enquired as to whether DFAT had investigated the allegations, and the spokesperson said no but our partner nations have and there is no credible evidence.

This is laughable - there is no credible evidence because no country has carried out any investigations.

Who are the partner countries who have investigated?

Did they demand proof of where the "donated" organs came from?

Did they ask for an explanation of the huge discrepancy between official Chinese figures for the number of transplants and the thousands of organ transplants that were unaccounted for?

Did they demand an explanation as to why hospitals in China were initially telling potential organ recipients (who recorded these conversations),that yes, organs were available from Falun Gong practitioners?

Did they ask why hospitals where advertising Falun Gong organs on their websites, before the pages were taken down? (These pages have been archived by independant investigators).

Did they ask for explanations of the conclusions of independent investigators, David Kilgour and David Matas (Bloody Harvest), and Ethan Gutmann (The Slaughter)?

Did they demand access to People's Liberation Army (PLA) hospitals and records where most transplants were carried out?

Did they demand access to the labour camps and 'black prisons' where Falun Gong practitioners were tortured to give up their beliefs?

Weasel words

Of course they didn't - western countries, including Australia, hide behind the secret and farcical 'human rights dialogues' held periodically between these countries and the Chinese regime.

An Australian delegate may ask "Do you harvest organs from Falun Gong practitioners?'" and the Chinese delegate will say "no".

That is what counts as "no credible evidence" for DFAT. The Chinese regime treats these dialogues and the countries who participate in them, with contempt.

If these allegations were made about any other country but China, Australia and other western democracies would be demanding UN investigations and imposing trade and diplomatic sanctions, at the very least.

DFAT and the Australian government should hang their heads in shame - is there no limit to what they will do for "eleven pieces of silver'?