Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister provide a response to the Senate on the Twitter post issued today by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Brockman for his question. Senators will have seen that the Prime Minister has this afternoon made a public statement in relation to the social media post by the Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing. Let me be clear that the Australian government has called in the Chinese ambassador and sought an apology from the ambassador in relation to this tweet. It is an appalling, disgusting and outrageous piece of social media. It is a tweet which illustrates the absolute scourge of disinformation and misinformation in social media and it cannot be justified on any basis. As well as the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade conveying that message to the ambassador here, we will be conveying that message directly in Beijing through our ambassador. We have also asked Twitter to remove the tweet as an example of disinformation.

I echo the Prime Minister's expression of pride in all Australians who serve in uniform and who have served in uniform. They do not deserve to be treated in this manner. It is the most egregious example of this sort of harmful conduct that I have seen in my time in the parliament, in my time in a ministerial portfolio and, in fact, in anybody's viewing of social media in any context. We have very clearly rejected the premise upon which the disinformation in this tweet is based. This government has invited the review of the Inspector-General of the ADF. We are dealing with these issues openly, transparently and in a way which you would expect in a liberal democracy like Australia.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brockman, a supplementary question?

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister, for that answer. Will the minister explain why this tweet constitutes disinformation?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Brockman. The Australian government do not resile at all from our responsibilities and our obligations regarding our involvement in Afghanistan. It is not that another country is commenting on our conduct in Afghanistan. Australia is a robust liberal democracy more than capable of dealing with commentary of that nature. We are accountable for our actions, and that is why we called for and held the inquiry at the highest levels. We are taking unprecedented and difficult steps to hold those responsible to account, a small minority of Australian Defence Force personnel who are the subject of these serious, credible reports. Our response has been welcomed by the government of Afghanistan, from the president to his ministry and others within the Afghan system. This image, however, is an absolute affront to common decency and to our entire Defence Force. It is grossly offensive and it should be removed.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brockman, a final supplementary question?

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the minister update the Senate on how Australia is working with international partners to combat disinformation?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The relationship among responsible international partners around the world in combatting disinformation, particularly during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, is a very important one. Just this week we will be co-sponsoring an event at the United Nations in New York on misinformation, with partners such as Latvia. Latvia led a joint statement in June, which we signed with 131 other countries. It warned that COVID-19 had 'created conditions that enabled the spread of disinformation, fake news and doctored videos'—and, in this case, I would say photographs—'to foment violence to divide communities'. We committed in that statement to fighting the so-called infodemic. I can assure you, Mr President, and others in this chamber that Australia will resist and counter efforts of disinformation. We will do so through facts and transparency underpinned by liberal democratic values that we will continue to promote at home and abroad.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

I thank the Senate. In the circumstance, I thought it would be useful to express support for the comments made by Senator Payne. I make clear on behalf of the opposition that we condemn in the strongest terms the action taken by the Chinese government. It is gratuitous, it is inflammatory and it is deeply offensive. We say that this is not the action, not the behaviour, of a responsible, mature international power. These tactics will be met with unified condemnation in the Australian community and they will be judged harshly by the international community. The men and women of the Australian Defence Force serve with honour. They deserve our respect and the respect of our allies, friends and partners around the world. The allegations in the Brereton report have horrified Australia. What sets us apart is the dignified, transparent and accountable manner of our response. That is what happens within the Australian democracy. I thank the Senate.