Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I will take the interjection about we were so reserved through the campaign. We remember the campaign. We remember the attempts from the other side to call people who are on our side of politics a 'Manchurian' candidate. It was an absolute disgrace.

I would hope that there would be bipartisanship around what is occurring in our region. The government has been very clear about the importance of both the Pacific and South-East Asia. The Prime Minister, myself, Minister Conroy and others have been in the region. We have increased the assistance through the development assistance program. We have shifted on climate, which is the first national security priority of Pacific Island nations. And what I would say to the shadow minister for foreign affairs is that it might be best to leave behind some of the mistakes that were undertaken in government and perhaps work in a bipartisan way to strengthen Australia's security position in the Pacific.