Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Tangney for his question. The Australian government has congratulated President-elect Donald Trump on his victory and, as the Prime Minister has described, he had a very positive discussion with President-elect Trump this morning.

The coalition government has been working hard to ensure that we are ready to engage closely with a new Trump administration. Indeed, we have been engaging with members of the Trump teams and with the Republican Party. I have met with senior figures from the Trump transition team, as has Ambassador Hockey and our diplomats in Washington. We are prepared for a Trump administration under the new President. We place the highest priority on a positive relationship with the United States, because it is our strategic ally, it is our most important defence and intelligence partner, it is our largest source of foreign investment and it is our second-largest trading partner. It is in our national interest for Australia to have a positive and productive relationship with the new President and with the new Trump administration. But compare and contrast the behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition, the leader of a major political party in Australia, a person who holds himself up to be the alternative Prime Minister of this country. In his roles he has a responsibility not to damage or undermine our relationship with the United States.

Mr Shorten interjecting—

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