Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

We released the information about the incident involving HMAS Toowoomba sooner than for previous incidents that occurred under both governments where protests were made to China. We certainly have done that through all of the channels that you have seen and others that you have not because that is the way that you should deal with those things. We have been totally public and transparent and have gone after these issues, defending the fact that our sailors were put in a position that they should never have been put in. Our primary concern was always standing up for the interests of Australians and our Defence Force. You stand up for the interests of Australians by delivering a foreign policy in international relations that ensures that you're around the table and ensures that you're engaged. We have said: we'll cooperate with China where we can, and we'll disagree where we must. Those opposite disagreed where they could, disagreed where they had to and just disagreed full stop, exclamation mark! That's not the way to deliver outcomes with our major trading partner. That's not the way to deliver outcomes in the interests of our nation as well.

The truth is that, under those opposite, our international relations with China, with France, with the United States, with Greece, with others—as you go around and talk to international leaders—from the damage that was done by the leaking of text messages to France— (Time expired)

Honourable members interjecting—

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