Senate debates Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers

Fuel


Ralph Babet

Ralph Babet Victoria, United Australia Party

3:32 pm

I'm talking about people outside, Senator—especially when the entanglements that we're in right now are done in the pursuit of some grand moral gesture, and the only purpose of this grand moral gesture is to make our political class feel better about itself. Russia is a perfect example of this. We're told that Russia must not be allowed to have a sphere of influence. Yet the United States has a sphere of influence. China has a sphere of influence. Australia have our own interests in this region right here, and we expect other countries to respect those interests. But, when it comes to Russia, apparently the rules of international relations cease to apply. Why is that? Having a sphere of influence obviously doesn't mean that countries have a blank cheque to invade their neighbours—of course not—but pretending that great powers don't have security interests or that those interests can simply be wished away isn't foreign policy; it's fantasy with a defence budget. That's what it is. We barely even have that right here. The world, not least of all the Russians, was assured that NATO would not move one inch eastward—not one inch. Yet NATO did move closer to the Russian border. (Time expired)

Question agreed to.

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