Michael Sukkar (Deakin, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister update the House on how the relationship between Australia and the United States is strengthening?

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Deakin for his question and I am pleased to report to both sides of the House that the Prime Minister's visit to the United States was an unqualified success and reaffirmed the excellent state of the bilateral relationship and the mutual commitment to the alliance.

Mr Champion interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Wakefield will desist.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister and President Obama successfully concluded the Force Posture Agreement, which will govern arrangements for the US military presence in Australia, including the Marines rotating through Darwin. The Prime Minister also announced that Australia will establish a consulate in Houston within 12 months to strengthen our business and investment links, particularly in the energy and resources sector. Further, the Prime Minister co-authored an opinion piece with President Obama in the Los Angeles Times, which was republished in the Australian, on economic and security issues. For the benefit of the House, I table that opinion piece.

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Rankin has been warned.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In his meeting with President Obama the Prime Minister discussed a broad range of matters, including international and regional security issues and trade and economic issues, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership, where trade minister Andrew Robb is doing such great work. They discussed the G20, and they discussed climate change. At the press conference following their meeting, President Obama said, 'We don't have a better friend in the world, as well as the Asia-Pacific region, than Australia'. Therefore, it was deeply disappointing to note that the success of the visit has caused obvious dismay among the ranks of the opposition, who were seeking to actively undermine the Prime Minister's visit and who were predicting conflict between the Prime Minister and the President of the United States. Labor was publicly wishing and hoping for the meeting between the two leaders to fail. That is tantamount to actively undermining Australia's national interest, because there is no more important personal relationship for this nation than the one between the Prime Minister of Australia and the President of the United States. Labor was desperately hoping that the cause of this confected conflict would be climate change, should it be raised. What hypocrites. I recall a meeting in 2007 when US President Bush visited Australia and met with then Labor leader Kevin Rudd.

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Rankin will remove himself for one hour under 94(a).

The member for Rankin then left the chamber—

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Reporting of that meeting shows that President Bush was shocked that climate change was not even raised, with a White House source saying, 'The Labor leader did not utter the words climate change'. What hypocrisy. Fortunately our strategic and economic relationship stands above the pettiness and lack of judgement of the Labor Party. (Time expired)