JULIA GILLARD has backed calls for the Commonwealth to reform and strengthen its institutions to encourage democracy and human rights among member nations, putting Australia on a collision course with other nations who will resist change.
With a split looming over the issue at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting this weekend, Ms Gillard said yesterday the 54-member Commonwealth was bound by shared values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
''Over its lifetime the Commonwealth has been very active in the advocacy of those values and addressing issues like apartheid in South Africa,'' she said.
''Those values are enduring, but like any organisation the Commonwealth needs to keep reforming and changing to meet modern demands.''
The leaders will discuss a report and recommendations by a nine-member Eminent Persons Group, which was commissioned after the last CHOGM in 2009 following criticisms of the Commonwealth's effectiveness and relevance.
The report, the publication of which has been suppressed because of objections by some members, finds the Commonwealth at risk of becoming irrelevant, especially because of its inability to enforce human rights standards among members.
The Commonwealth ''fails to stand up for the values that it has declared are fundamental to its existence'', it says.
Key recommendations include appointing a Commonwealth commissioner for democracy, the rule of law and human rights, who would advise the Commonwealth Secretary-General and the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, which has the authority to suspend members.
Sri Lanka, India and South Africa have already voiced opposition to the proposed reforms, while Australia, Canada and Britain want them. With Fiji and Zimbabwe expelled from the Commonwealth, Sri Lanka is the controversial attendee at this CHOGM because of its human rights record.
Canada has threatened to boycott the 2013 CHOGM in Sri Lanka unless it institutes human rights reform.
The nation stands accused of war crimes against Tamil civilians at the 2009 conclusion of the country's civil war and human rights activists are targeting in Perth the attendance of the Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa.
An indictment was filed in a Melbourne court on Monday seeking to have him charged with war crimes.
Ms Gillard said there could be no such legal action without the consent of the Attorney-General, Robert McClelland.
But Ms Gillard said: ''Australia and like-minded countries have been urging, and will continue to urge, Sri Lanka to address the serious allegations that have been made of human rights violations during the end stages of the conflict in Sri Lanka.''
An open letter to CHOGM leaders sent by human rights activists said Sri Lanka must not be allowed to host CHOGM in 2013.
''Providing space for Sri Lanka to be the host of CHOGM 2013 will only serve as a declaration of the Commonwealth's indifference to human rights concerns,'' it said.
Ms Gillard said Sri Lanka would host the next CHOGM.
