Australia looks set to fill one of two vacancies on the United Nations Human Rights Council following France's withdrawal from the process, the Herald Sun newspaper said Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. The appointment would be Australia's first to the powerful body, coming amid criticism of its own human rights record against indigenous people and asylum seekers in offshore detention centres on Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus Island. "
We didn't use our aid budget, we didn't make promises we couldn't keep," the paper quoted Bishop as saying. "We very much campaigned on our record and how we would act on the Human Rights Council." Australia secured 141 written pledges and more than 20 verbal pledges from 192 U.N. members to back its bid, the paper said. Bishop's office said it could not confirm Australia had been guaranteed a spot, but added, "We are looking forward to making a positive contribution."