Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to the impending vote at the United Nations about Palestinian statehood. Can the Prime Minister confirm that the Minister for Foreign Affairs has advised that Australia should abstain from the vote? Has the Prime Minister spoken to the foreign minister this week about Australia's position on this issue and will Australia vote yes, no or abstain?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The position of the government was outlined in an opinion piece by me published in newspapers during the course of this week. She would have seen in that opinion piece that the text of the resolution is not yet available. The government will make its final decision, as was made clear in that opinion piece. Apparently, the opposition does not follow foreign affairs or read the newspapers on these questions. I refer them to the exact sentence in that opinion piece about the question of text. I ask the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to read it. The opinion piece represents the position of the government.

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

Order! The Prime Minister has concluded.