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

Well, it is. You clearly don't talk to the Pacific leaders and Pacific ministers, unlike the government, which has engaged directly with the Pacific about this Conference of the Parties. This is actually what amplifying Pacific voices means. You engage with them to resolve a negotiating position that they are backing. Just remember, when you want to lecture us, that we went down this path, both for the bid and in all of the detailed negotiations over this last year, in very close discussion with some of the people you don't bother talking to, which is Pacific leaders and ministers.

I know you're too busy lecturing us to actually talk to some of the people who are affected most by climate change. Our primary motivation in wanting this Conference of the Parties was to elevate Pacific experience and Pacific voices. The discussion with Turkiye and the discussion in Belem that Mr Bowen was involved in, involved engagement of the Prime Minister, my level, Mr Bowen's level and official level to work out, in a circumstance where we were not able to get agreement to our bid, what we could get to ensure that the Pacific's experience, issues and priorities were on the agenda. That is what Australia has achieved. I want to thank our Pacific colleagues for working with us and the respectful, decent way in which they have engaged with us on this issue.