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

Australia faces the most dangerous strategic environment since the Second World War. Around the world, authoritarian regimes and leaders are flexing their muscles—whether it's Iran and its proxies in the Middle East, Russia with its illegal invasion of Ukraine, or the unprecedented military buildup of the Chinese Communist Party. History tells us that peace is only achieved through strength and deterrence.

That's why it's deeply concerning that former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews is in China this week, celebrating a massive military parade that showcases the biggest expansion of Chinese Communist Party military capability in history, alongside authoritarian world leaders from Russia, North Korea and Iran—leaders who fundamentally reject the values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law. At the very moment when the Prime Minister should be strengthening our alliance with the United States, his former roommate Daniel Andrews is posing for a class photo alongside dictators and autocrats from around the world.

We've heard nothing but silence from the Prime Minister on this. When will the Prime Minister stand up for Australians and call out Daniel Andrews? Even Annastacia Palaszczuk has said it is a bridge too far, alongside many other Labor luminaries. The first duty of every Australian government is to keep Australians safe.