Tim Watts (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on this MPI more in sadness than in anger. Tonight, the Treasurer will begin the task of cleaning up the mess that the previous government left to us on the fiscal front. We'll be helping with cost-of-living pressures facing the Australian public and building a better future for our nation. I understand why those opposite don't want to talk about the budget in this MPI tonight and why they don't want to talk about the trillion dollars of Liberal debt that they leave this nation as a legacy, with very little economic dividend to show for it. I understand why they didn't ask any questions, extraordinarily, about the budget in question time today. It's disappointing that, instead of talking about the budget on budget day, those opposite have chosen to continue the Morrison government's legacy of putting short-term domestic politics ahead of the long-term national interest on foreign policy. Let me be very clear: the Albanese government does not and will not use sensitive foreign policy to play political games. It's not in the national interest, and the last election result shows that the Australian public are over it. They are sick of the politics of division.

On 18 October, Foreign Minister Wong reaffirmed Australia's previous longstanding and bipartisan position that Jerusalem is a final status issue and should be resolved as part of any peace negotiations between the Israeli and Palestinian people. This is not an extreme position. Far from it.

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