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

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I refer to the minister’s disclosure of vehicle transport, meals and hospitality paid for by Beijing AustChina Technology when he visited China in 2005. As the previous two ministers have failed to answer my questions to them, will the minister advise the House of the circumstances in which this hospitality arose and his understanding of the reason Beijing AustChina Technology provided this hospitality? Will the minister advise the House if any meetings were held with Beijing AustChina Technology? If so, who attended these meetings and what subject matters were discussed?

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. I can confirm that I travelled to China from 28 March to 3 April 2005 while I was shadow minister for industry, infrastructure and industrial relations. In accordance with the procedures which bind all members of this House, I declared that travel in the register of parliamentary interests. That has been a matter of public record since May 2005. While I was in China, I visited Guangdong province, Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai. I have also declared on that parliamentary register—and this declaration has been there since May 2005—that as part of that trip I received hospitality and other service provision from Beijing AustChina Technology. That has been declared. I also received a gift of a Chinese tea set, which has been declared. Whilst I was in China I had a meeting with Mr Ian Tang, where we discussed matters about China and Australia and the important economic relationship between our two nations. Since that time I have had, I think, one meeting with Mr Tang, when he came to Canberra. It was a short meeting where we wished each other well. Mr Tang requested to see me at the beginning of this year or late last year upon my becoming Minister for Foreign Affairs. I was happy to see him. In the event, I was not available to see him at the required time. I saw nothing inappropriate with that meeting.

As the Treasurer has made clear, any number of the members in this place, on your side or on this side, have been the recipients of sponsored travel. The important thing here is: was that sponsored travel declared? In my case it was, and it has been on the public record since May 2005. If the member is making any suggestions of impropriety or any allegations, just make them—just make them. You might also, if you propose to make any such baseless allegations, cough up on all the sponsored travel on your side.

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

I remind the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the need to address his remarks through the chair.