Mr Downer was elected Federal Member for the electorate in 1984 and went on to become Liberal leader of the opposition 10 years later in 1994. He is most well known for his role as Australia’s longest serving foreign affairs minister. 

Mr Downer spoke for one of the last times as Federal Parliament Member for Mayo, at the AMUNC opening ceremony to around 600 participants and organisers. 

Despite the frosty conditions and icy temperatures outside, Mr Downer received a warm reception from those present at the opening ceremony in Elder Hall including fellow guest speaker SA Premier, Hon. Mike Rann.

Fellow guest speaker, Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide, Professor James McWha said Mr Downer will now be taking up a position at the University as a visiting professor. 

Mr Downer also confirmed that the United Nations [UN] had approached him about a role as a Special Envoy of the Secretary General on Cyprus and will accept the position once it is confirmed.

“[The UN’s] relevance has grown because of the nature of the sort of issues the world has had to address in recent times,” he said. 

Mr Downer addressed the AMUNC participants and other distinguished guests in Elder Hall by discussing highlights of his career and key issues facing the world today.

The UN Security Council and the issue of Zimbabwe was focused on by Mr Downer, and he gave much attention to the issues and problems faced by the real United Nations and its operations.  

“In the case of Zimbabwe, its human rights abuses are appalling - they are a matter of significant discussion and focus in the UN Human Rights Council,” he said firmly. 

“There are a lot of countries within the UN system, for a whole series of geopolitical reasons that think it is polite to be defensive of the regime of Mugabe – that is the honest truth.”

He also explained that another challenge faced by the United Nations, and in particular its aid agencies, relates to a lack of funding.  

“The United Nations Secretariat has a budget. Its budget is about the same as the budget for the Wollongong Council,” he said jokingly. 

“The United Nations is an institution which brings together all of the countries of the world. It is the neutral body through which you endeavour to try to communicate global responses.”

Mr Downer said it is not a question of whether the United Nations and its senior staff and coordinators are doing a good job - rather it is a matter of what member states are putting in.  

On a lighter note, Mr Downer described how he made a speech at the UN General Assembly with other speakers including the former Malaysian Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad and Robert Mugabe. 

Mr Downer described how the dramatic Dr Mahathir spoke first and received a standing ovation from the General Assembly. 

He also described how his own speech, while he thought it was informative, polite and engaging, failed to receive the overwhelming reception that Dr Mahathir and Mugabe received. 

Compared to Robert Mugabe, who received “wild applause and people whooping,” Mr Downer said the applause was dismal for his speech and probably bored the Assembly. 

“He [Mugabe] was pounding the podium and denouncing the Americans and democracy,” Mr Downer said.  

“He’s not so big on democracy.

“I don’t want to leave you with anything more than a mixed impression of the United Nations … I think a lot of the idealism of the United Nations is well founded and its criticisms are perfectly reasonable.”

Mr Downer admitted the UN had many failures throughout its history, with more failures than successes. He added however that while the UN is a flawed institution, it is only as flawed as its members allow it to be. 

Mr Downer concluded his speech by saying that he hoped the topics he had talked about would spark discussion and further debate and deliberation throughout the AMUNC Conference. 

“I hope there are some thoughts there that you can agree or disagree with,” he said.  

“If you agree, I appreciate that - if you disagree well frankly you are wrong,” he said, finishing with a smile.

Photo courtesy of: davesag

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