Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Prime Minister, the circumnavigation of Australia by armed PLA navy vessels, which included live-fire exercises without warning in the Tasman Sea, was totally unacceptable and must never happen again. Following a six-day visit to China, what assurances did the Prime Minister receive from the Chinese president that armed PLA navy vessels will no longer conduct surveillance and live-fire exercises off our coast?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the new shadow minister for defence for his question. While I was in China, I saw the shadow minister for defence's comments when it comes to the long-held position that has been a bipartisan position up to now on the issue of the Taiwan Strait. The United States has had a long-term position about strategic ambiguity, and that has been done for a responsible reason. But what we saw from the shadow defence minister in his first outing in uttering comments in an area that requires responsibility, requires a national interest and requires the support of our sovereignty when it comes to our decision-making processes was a breach. I'm not sure if that's the position of the Liberal Party today or the National Party today or where it is—

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, members on my right! The member for Hume is entitled to a point of order, and he'll state it.

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance, that answer bore absolutely no relevance to the question. The question was about assurances from the Chinese president about whether or not there would be a repeat of the surveillance and live-fire exercises off our coast.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister did give some context, but he wasn't asked about the shadow minister's comments; he was asked about his visit, so I'll ask him to return to the question.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was asked about the visit. I was asked about the defence relationships which relate to China and the fact that we do have strategic competition in the region that we have to deal with. And during that visit, those comments by the shadow minister for defence were entirely irresponsible. When it comes to Australia's position, I put forward, as I have publicly, that we were concerned about what occurred earlier this year. I also put forward the response that it was in international waters, in the context that Australia participates in exercises in the South China Sea—in the region—in a consistent way. And it's not just Australia. At the same time, of course, our Talisman Sabre exercises were occurring. But we regularly participate not just as a nation state; we participate as well with our ally in the United States. But we also participate with other countries in international waters. That is what we do. We comply with international law, and we expect international law to be complied with as well.