Jane Cowan reported this story on Thursday, September 27, 2012 08:00:00

TONY EASTLEY: The Australian Prime Minister has made her maiden speech to the UN General Assembly in New York and pushed Australia's case for a seat on the Security Council.



Earlier the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told the assembly Western leaders were handmaidens of the devil.



Ms Gillard's speech was a good deal more moderate though, spelling out Australia's place in the world but pointing out dangers posed by such countries like Iran.



North America correspondent Jane Cowan is at the UN headquarters in Manhattan and she joins us now.



Jane, good morning. Did Julia Gillard outline what she saw as being the big issues challenging the work of the UN?



JANE COWAN: She really did Tony. She canvassed all the big issues that have been dominating discussion here in New York this week and recently across the world.



She mentioned Syria. She also mentioned Iran, tensions over their nuclear program, and through to the Arab Spring and Libya.



And on all those issues Tony she really echoed the position of the UN, positions that the United States have taken and Australia has supported already in the past, even on things like the conflict between Israel and Palestine.



She also weighed in specifically to the attacks on the US embassy and the death of the US ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens.



And she said that Australia as a country for instance shows that there is nothing natural about this kind of conflict between ethnic or religious groups. And she really throughout her speech made the point that Australia's values on all these matters are the UN's values.



JULIA GILLARD: Mr President, Australia is one of the world's most successful multicultural and multi-faith nations. The Australian experience proves a deeply important fact - there is nothing natural or inevitable about violent conflict over religious belief.



We must reaffirm this again today. Denigration of religious beliefs is never acceptable. Australia seeks to be an example of freedom for all faiths and we support this in the wider world.



However our tolerance must never extend to tolerating religious hatred and incitement to violence, whether these lead to attacks against members of religious minorities or diplomats, attacks against houses of worship or diplomatic missions. The perpetrators of all such violence must be brought to justice and all such incitement must be condemned.



TONY EASTLEY: Julia Gillard in New York.



Jane Cowan, just briefly, what was her pitch as far as pushing Australia as a valuable member of the Security Council?



JANE COWAN: Well she really did that by emphasising Australia's credentials as a middle power and championing Australia's work as a donor for instance of international aid, explaining how Australia is a good world citizen in terms of everything from advocating gender equality to combating malaria.



And this was really her final forceful pitch:



JULIA GILLARD: Australia's ideals in the world are those of the UN and Australians know the practical value of the UN's work. This is why Australia seeks to serve in all the work of the UN and on the Security Council.



We are a strong democracy welcoming all the people, languages and religions of the world. We are a country of the Asia Pacific, a neighbour to developing countries with a perspective of both the north and the south.



We are a state with a decades long tradition of capable and committed work in the United Nations.



Mr President, Australia embraces the high ideals of the United Nations and takes a practical approach to achieving change. The work of the United Nations is an historic task in which Australian wholeheartedly joins.



Thank you very much.



TONY EASTLEY: The Prime Minister Julia Gillard speaking at the UN in New York. Jane Cowan our correspondent.