Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I genuinely do appreciate the question from the member opposite. Congressman Smith, welcome to question time. You're in for a treat!

The question that we have just heard from the shadow minister is another example of how the Liberal Party, a party which actually has a proud history of governing this country, is today completely broken. The Pentagon itself has made clear that there was a meeting between me and Secretary Hegseth. The Pentagon itself today has made it clear that that meeting was coordinated in advance. But what we've heard through the course of this week is those opposite, firstly, suggesting that there wasn't going to be a meeting at all. Then there's a little bit of a debate about whether it's a meeting or whether it's happenstance. Presumably, those opposite think that the photos that have been published were magically generated by AI. Those opposite are an absolute joke.

The shadow minister, in the question that he just framed, said that the alliance between Australia and the United States is a matter of bipartisan support. It has been the case that parties of government in this country have actually, irrespective of whether they are in opposition or in government, supported the nation in its relationship with the United States.

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