Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

On indulgence: there are media reports, as the Minister for Foreign Affairs said, that North Korea has conducted a nuclear test. There are also reports coming out of South Korea just half an hour ago that North Korea has also conducted a short-range missile test. These reports, as the foreign minister said, are yet to be verified, but both South Korean and United States authorities have reported that there are tremors in the area and therefore this provocative act is being taken seriously. The coalition joins with the government in supporting calls by Japan that the Security Council meet as soon as possible to consider the impact on regional peace and security that this provocative act or acts, if proven, will cause and in particular to take into account resolution 1718 of 2006, whereby the Security Council expressed its grave concern over the first nuclear test that occurred on 9 October 2006 and at that time demanded that North Korea cease all further nuclear tests and also cease any ballistic missile testing. As members of the House know, North Korea did proceed with a long-range ballistic missile test in April of this year, and now we have these reports of a further nuclear test. The coalition joins with the government in condemning these provocative acts on the part of North Korea.

See this speech in context