George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, with respect, if you ask a question like that you are really losing touch with reality. You really are. As if! And you of all people—the person who aspires to be the foreign minister of Australia yourself—think that the relationship between Australia and New Zealand is at risk! How absurd! Of course it's not at risk, and it's absurd of you to say so. You should be embarrassed.

However, the New Zealand government has been embarrassed by the adventures of your chief of staff, as both the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr Bill English, and the Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, Ms Jacinda Ardern, have said in the past 24 hours. But you, Senator Wong, are the person who should hang your head in shame.