Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Competitiveness) Share this | Hansard source

I accept the question, and I am responding to it in the spirit in which it was asked. I find it one of the most extraordinary questions that I would expect to hear from a Deputy Leader of the Opposition; as if inviting leaders of other countries to this country is a bad thing and that somehow it will be exposed that, yes, we have been at it again—inviting leaders of other countries to this country and then paying some of their expenses. I am quite happy to provide the information wherever we can. I look forward to the comments of the coalition as to whether they think is a good idea of a bad idea to invite leaders, one by one, to this country.

I will now move on. In relation to Papua New Guinea, I cannot cover all of the questions that were raised. Obviously, there are going to be elections—I think they start next week and they will continue for some time—and that is a good thing. That is what Senator Carr wanted; he wanted those elections and they going to happen. I see that as an achievement rather than as a basis of criticism. On the live cattle trade, we are constantly in touch with the Indonesian authorities— (Time expired)

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