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

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I refer the minister to last week's coup d'etat in the Maldives, where the democratically elected head of government was ousted by rival forces and his deputy installed. While the new leader of the Maldives says he did not bring about the coup, reports have surfaced that he was involved—

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Mr Champion interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will pause and the honourable member for Wakefield will leave the chamber under the provisions of standing order 94(a).

The member for Wakefield then left the chamber.

I invite the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to repeat her question.

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

I am waiting for the time clock. I take it that the time clock will start again.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The clock will start again.

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

I refer the minister to last week's coup d'etat in the Maldives, where the democratically elected head of government was ousted by rival forces and his deputy installed. While the new leader of the Maldives says he did not bring about the coup, reports have surfaced that he was involved in coup preparations that began weeks earlier. Does the foreign minister agree that the new leader should tell the full truth about his involvement in the coup?

Honourable members interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Minister for Foreign Affairs has the call to answer a question about the Maldives.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In fact, the last time I was asked a serious question on foreign policy by the shadow minister for foreign affairs, I do not think Wyatt Roy was even of drinking age. And maybe he is still not of legal drinking age.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister knows that he must refer to the honourable member for Longman by his title.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The honourable member for Longman was not of legal drinking age and perhaps he is still not of legal drinking age.

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition asks about events in the Maldives. Can I say this: I spoke to the former President of the Maldives only three nights ago—

Opposition members interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those opposite seem to think that this is a trivial matter, when hundreds of people are being beaten in the streets, when we have had—

Honourable members interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Members on both sides will remain silent during the response by the Minister for Foreign Affairs for the duration of that response. I notice there are two minutes and nine seconds left. Minister.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 7 February, President Nasheed, who attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth only last October-November, was removed from office. I, on 9 February, telephoned the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, as Australia is currently Chair of the Commonwealth and I therefore, as a result, am Chair of the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers conference. As a result of that, the Commonwealth foreign ministers who make up the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group conducted a teleconference on Saturday evening about what measures to take against what is alleged to have been a fundamental undermining of Commonwealth values in the removal of this democratically elected head of state.

Opposition members interjecting—

Those opposite trivialise the fact that hundreds of people have been arrested, that hundreds of people have been subjected to violence in the streets of the capital city of Male and, on top of that, that we are likely to have seen the forced removal, under threat of armed violence with guns, of a democratically elected head of state. Those opposite regard these matters as being trivial. As foreign minister of Australia I do not regard them as trivial.

As a consequence of the meeting conducted on Saturday evening on the telephone with seven participating foreign ministers around the world, a ministerial delegation of three foreign ministers or their representatives will now be dispatched to Male to establish whether in fact this coup has occurred through violent means and, if so, the necessary course of action would be suspension from the Commonwealth. We take these matters seriously.

Steven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. The Minister for Trade made a nasty and offensive comment and I would ask you to ask him to withdraw it.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If the Minister for Trade made a nasty or offensive comment, he would assist the chair if he withdrew. I did not hear the comment, but if the minister made an inappropriate comment he should withdraw.

Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I made no inappropriate comment. I will not withdraw.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I accept the assurance of the minister. I now give the call to the honourable member for Throsby.