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

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister to the reason he gave at a press conference this week for personally blocking the appointment of Mr Hugh Borrowman as ambassador to Germany. I quote the Prime Minister’s words:

… when it comes to foreign diplomatic appointments I do place priority on languages … and last time I looked at Germany they speak German.

Given that the Foreign Minister had boasted in a media release only a few days earlier of Mr Borrowman’s German language qualifications, will the Prime Minister now give the real reason that he personally vetoed the appointment of this highly respected senior diplomat as Australia’s Ambassador to Germany.

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