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

We are doing none of those things. And, on something as important as this, Senator, I do not understand why you feel the need to engage in personal attacks and the demonisation of others in pursuit of your own political objectives. I think it is objectionable. What I would say is this: I would invite you, Senator, to read many of my speeches about international law and the international rules based order.

What I have said, repeatedly, is that Australia has an interest in advocating for the rules based order—whether it is international humanitarian law or the law of the sea in the South China Sea, we have an interest in it. And I've made, actually, precisely the point you advert to—that, in the absence of that, we have an international system which is run by power alone. And, as a middle power, that is not in our interest. So what we do, whether it is with the law of the sea or what we do with others, is to continue to advocate for that system. (Time expired)