Andrew Robb (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. I refer the minister to the tabled pecuniary interest register. I refer the minister to his five trips: to China on 16 October 2005, to China on 3 July 2006, to Beijing and Hong Kong on 21 September 2006, to Hong Kong on 19 April 2007 and to Hong Kong and Beijing on 10 July 2007—all of which were paid for by the Chinese company Beijing AustChina Technology. I ask the minister: what was the purpose of these five trips to China covering 31 days over this 21-month period? Has the minister had any contact with Beijing AustChina Technology since becoming Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the member opposite knows full well, the reason he has those dates and the reason he has that information is that it was all declared in due time in the appropriate course on the public register. As the former minister also would be fully aware, it being my first term in parliament, there would be no public money available if I were to do any overseas travel relative to my portfolio. To have private sponsorship was the only way that that was able to be done.

Opposition Member:

Opposition member interjecting—

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I noticed the interjection from the member of the Nationals just then as I was saying that. The member of the Nationals would remember seeing me at the Boao conference, which he attended with me. We were both there at the Boao conference on Hainan Island in China. Of course, the Leader of the Nationals was at that conference with me, paid for by the Australian taxpayer. But I was there at the same conference, attending the same meetings, listening to the same speeches from the world leaders who were present. I do not begrudge that the taxpayer paid that, but obviously, as a shadow minister, the only opportunity in my first term to be able to attend those meetings—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question asked about the meetings. I am letting you know. Why don’t you just ask Warren?

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. The point of order relates to relevance. This is a very serious question about five paid trips, the association between the minister and the Beijing AustChina Technology company, which is based in China, and his relationship with them now—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for North Sydney will resume his seat.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Nationals would also know a fair bit about that company, given that they have sat on the main table at National Party fundraisers next to him.

Also, when the trips were detailed then, I noticed that the trip to Manila was not referred to. I think that is just as important to mention on the public record. When I travelled through Manila, that was disclosed as well. The reason for that, of course, was that that was the opportunity to meet with the 55 remaining members of the stateless Vietnamese who had been waiting for a durable solution for some 20 years at that point. Other meetings that took place during that time included meeting Henry Tang, of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong office of Fragomen, the largest immigration business in the world. Obviously I had some significant interest in trying to get to the bottom of some very significant rorts in immigration that were coming out of China at that time with respect to the 457 visa. The list of meetings goes on from that, but, as I say, this is all available and on the public record. That is why you are able to ask the question. That is why it was disclosed according to the rules of the parliament each step of the way.