George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I was in the process of telling you about them, Senator Fawcett—through you, Mr President. Senator Wong, in an op-ed in the Fairfax papers some two weeks ago, for the first time that I can recall by the Australian Labor Party, called into question the nature of our relationship with the United States of America and called the election of President Trump 'a change point'.

It has historically always been the position of the Australian Labor Party that the relationship endures unaffected by whether it be a Democrat or a Republican administration and unaffected by the identity of the President of the United States. Yet, Senator Wong, you settle upon the election of a candidate not to your liking as the President of the United States to announce a change point in the relationship between Australia and the United States of America, our most important strategic partner. (Time expired)