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

I'd make a few points in response to Senator Scarr on that. The first is that I think that to characterise it as the Prime Minister 'correcting' doesn't reflect appropriately that Senator Farrell was very upfront about the mistake he made—and full credit to him. There are some in this place who try to not own up when they make a mistake, and I think he did. And it's an easy mistake to make. Obviously, there are a lot of conversations between—

You think it's funny, Senator Ruston?

Honourable senators interjecting—

There's a lot of graciousness on that side, isn't there! It's an easy mistake to make. There are always a lot of conversations. In relation to beef, the implication in all of the opposition's questions is that somehow this is related to a discussion with the United States. I want to make two points very clear. First, our biosecurity process is independent. It was commenced under, I think, Mr Joyce, when he was the minister, and went through a proper process not related to any negotiations.