Australia will campaign to end death penalty worldwide: Julie Bishop

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has said in her speech at the UN General Assembly that Australia would lead a campaign to end the death penalty.

Australia decided to bid for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council for the 2018-2020 term. Bishop added that Australia would bid again for a seat on the on the Security Council in 2029. She said the council’s role was more essential than ever.

The Australian minister emphasised that gender equality must be completely achieved by 2030. "We must step up the fight against the global scourge of violence against women and girls," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Bishop as saying. According to her, the Australian government has announced a safety package for women, worth around $100 million.

Bishop was earlier criticised after having been photographed sitting with her boyfriend David Panton in the official Australian section at the UNGA in New York. She was accused of not taking her job seriously. Bishop, however, said it was within her discretion to invite her partner to the UN, the SMH reported.

Bishop stressed at the UNGA that permanent members should be allowed to veto resolutions dealing with "mass atrocities." Her remark comes as Russia finds it difficult to come to an agreement with several major countries on the MH17 disaster and Syria.

"We will not let a Russian veto impede the efforts of countries grieving the loss of their citizens and demanding justice for the perpetrators of this atrocity," the Australian Financial Review quoted Bishop as saying.

Australia’s stance goes will with the United States, which wants Syrian President Bashar al-Assad out of office for a better political situation in the country. U.S. President Barack Obama said Syria would need a “new leader” to defeat Islamic State militants.

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