Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. The minister has repeatedly claimed that: 'Australian vessels and aircraft will continue to exercise rights under international law to freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight, including in the South China Sea.' Yet, at Senate estimates, Air Chief Marshal Binskin testified that the Australian Defence Force is not conducting deliberate freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea. Minister, why are you and other members of the government continuing to pretend that Australia is conducting freedom of navigation operations, when the Chief of Defence has made it clear that is not the case?