Zimbabwe 2000: Australian Parliamentary Mission statement

Updated July 2000

Successive Australian parliaments have shown a strong commitment to Zimbabwe's democratic independence and development. The Australian Parliament was therefore pleased to respond to the Zimbabwean Government's welcome to send observers to its parliamentary elections held on 24 and 25 June 2000. The delegation comprised three members of the Australian Parliament and three support staff. While our role was simply to observe the conduct of the elections - not to supervise those elections or to become involved in the electoral process - we were told by virtually all the people we visited that the presence of international observers was welcome, and contributed to an improved environment in the days immediately before and during the weekend poll.

Upon its arrival in Zimbabwe the delegation was very well briefed by the Australian High Commission, representatives of Zimbabwe's political parties, electoral administration, civic groups, media, war veterans, farming and business communities. Delegation members then split up into three teams which spent between four and six days in the provinces of Zimbabwe, including the polling days on Saturday 24 June and Sunday 25 June and the counting day on Monday 26 June. The three teams made a point of visiting some of the more remote areas of the country, as well as the main population centre, including Harare and Bulawayo. One team traveled through the Mashonaland West and Mashonaland Central provinces, another traveled through the Manicaland and Mashonaland East provinces, and the third traveled through the Midlands, Matebeleland South and Masvingo provinces.

In addition to the groups referred to earlier, the delegation spoke in the field to members of the public, farmers and their workers, war veterans occupying farms, party officials and candidates, senior police officers and government administrators, and on the polling and counting days, the staff, police, party agents and monitors at the polling places. The delegation thanks those people for their time.

As a nation Australia encourages the growth of democracy wherever it can. Our values have been shaped by our nation's commitment to: the rule of law; multi-party democracy; the separate of powers between the Parliament, the executive and the judiciary; transparent and accountable processes; a strong and independent media; and an electoral system which allows all citizens to make informed choices, and to exercise freely their right to vote and to stand for election. It is with those values in mind that we have observed Zimbabwe's elections.