Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I do note the Deputy Leader of the Opposition required me to be relevant to that part of her question. I would simply say that her question was of a broader nature and it referred also to international travel. But, when we are speaking about international statesmen of the type that we were meeting in Perth recently, we should also reflect on the comments of another international statesman—namely, Senator Barnaby Joyce, who has said most recently.

To be honest, I think I'm on the wrong side of the debate in the Coalition on this one.

Lots of solidarity from Senator Joyce as far as opposition policy is concerned. But I refer to our important guest in this chamber within a week or two. That, of course, is the President of the United States. I think that, foreign policy having been raised here, it is important to remember that, first, the former Prime Minister Mr Howard described the election of the President of the United States, Barack Obama, as a victory for terrorism. Secondly, the current Leader of the Opposition said:

He sounds terrific but I don't know what's really there.

Thirdly, the disgraceful manner in which the member for Sturt conducted himself earlier today on a simple procedural motion—inviting the House to assemble in a week or two—underlines fundamentally where those opposite stand on foreign policy priorities. Finally, if the Deputy Leader of the Opposition is interested in international practice, I note recently that they have gone very quiet on the question of what is actually unfolding in Norway. But that is a matter for her.

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