(Reuters) - 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 on Saturday, quoting remarks by 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 very much campaigned on our record and how we would act on the Human Rights Council." Australia secured 141 written pledges and more than 20verbal pledges from 192 U.N. members to back its bid, the paper said. The U.N. has previously criticised Australia's treatment of its indigenous peoples, with a report from its special rapporteur, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, due in September.

Source: The Star July 15, 2017 03:11 UTC