Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

It's always entertaining watching Senator Dastyari. I have to say, if anybody was ever doing Venezuelan vaudeville, you did it very well today. But can I just start on the comments that the New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gerry Brownlee, made in response to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms Bishop.

Senator Dastyari interjecting—

I know you are very exercised about that, Senator Dastyari, so let me tell you what the Foreign Minister of New Zealand actually said about this: 'It's a perfectly reasonable reaction, given the fact that a New Zealand member of parliament from the New Zealand Labour Party, under the influence from the Australian Labor Party, was asking questions clearly designed to remove a government supporter in Australia—that's the bigger problem here.' That was the reaction of the New Zealand government.

In the middle of an election campaign in New Zealand, engaging in this sort of action is totally and utterly reprehensible. The New Zealand Labour leader, Jacinda Ardern, has revealed that Bill Shorten and the Labor Party sought to use the New Zealand parliament to undermine our government. This is highly unethical, at the very least. More importantly, it puts at risk the very important relationship between our two countries. It shows that the Leader of the Opposition is willing to interfere in the political system of a foreign country for base political advantage. It shows you don't have any interest in section 44 of the Constitution—the uncertainty that surely raises questions about your own people.

Senator Cameron interjecting—

I bet, Senator Cameron, you've got people on your side of the fence that are just sitting there, fingers crossed, anxiously watching what's happening in the High Court and hoping and praying that they're not going to be exposed. Don't tell me that you don't have people in your own ranks who are sitting there—