Member of the Australian Labor Party Dr. Carmen Lawrence attended the rally entitled "Join Together to Stop the CCP from Harvesting Organs of Living Falun Gong Practitioners" held in front of the Parliament House in Canberra on October 17, 2006. She said that the persecution of Falun Gong is against the values respected in the 21^st century. Dr. Lawrence was the first woman to be elected Premier of Western Australia in 1990, a Federal Member in 1994, and the first well-received Labor Party member when she was the President of the Australian Labor Party in 2003. She has devoted herself to refugee policies and democracy reform.

Dr. Lawrence speaks at the rally

Dr. Lawrence said in an interview that the persecution of Falun Gong is completely against the values respected by humanity in the 21^st century. She said that the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners has been completely verified. By persecuting the Falun Gong group and other groups, it is indisputable that the CCP government is completely against the values we respect in the 21^st century. There is no such thing as safeguarding human rights in China, and the more serious accusation is that they tortured Falun Gong practitioners to death when the practitioners were detained. The worrying facts have been verified by credible human rights organizations.

Dr. Lawrence further added that he international community should put pressure on the CCP government prior to the Olympic Games. She said that it is even more worrying regarding the accusation of harvesting organs from Falun Gong practitioners. CCP government officials have enhanced the reliability of the accusation against it, because they have admitted to trading in organs of executed prisoners for profit. Though they have denied the crimes committed against Falun Gong, there has been sufficient evidence to evoke people's deep concerns and desire for further, urgent investigation. Whether the CCP government acknowledges it or not, the international community should take this accusation seriously. They should put pressure on the CCP government prior to the Olympic Games, and ensure there will be an independent investigation on this serious allegation prior their inauguration.

As for what Australia should do, Dr. Lawrence said that there should be a human rights standard when endorsing trade agreements. She said, "I think we should point out to the Chinese government and that Chinese people that the Australian people are deeply disturbed by this incident. We will continue do what we should do."