Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I refer to reports last year that the minister went bananas because the Prime Minister's office insisted she be accompanied by the trade minister to the UN climate change conference in Lima. In this new era of good government, can the foreign minister advise whether she will be allowed to represent Australia at the UN climate change meeting in Paris unsupervised?

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

I thank the member for her question, but that is so yesterday.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The foreign minister has the call. The member for Isaacs will desist or leave. The choice is his.

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

What surprises me about this question is that the shadow foreign minister had such a poor record in government as a member of a cabinet that did so little to promote Australia's reputation and image overseas; that she was a member of a cabinet that so trashed our reputation. Whereas the coalition believes that our job in foreign policy is to project and protect our reputation as—

Mr Perrett interjecting—

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

The member for Moreton will leave forthwith under 94(a). He is lucky not to be named.

The member for Moreton then left the chamber.

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

an open, liberal, Western democracy committed to freedom, committed to human rights; that we are an open, export-oriented economy, and all that we do in foreign policy is designed to project and protect that image and that reputation.

Mr Conroy interjecting—

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

The member for Charlton will join him under 94(A).

The member for Charlton then left the chamber.

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

I am just surprised that the member would even pop her head up today, because yesterday, when she asked me about the aid budget, she refused to acknowledge that the aid budget is in this position, because the opposition will not even pass savings that they took to the last election; that they so trashed our budget that we had a $48 billion deficit. Of course the cuts to the aid budget sit fairly and squarely with this shadow foreign minister as part of the cabinet that so destroyed our financial standing. What amazes me is that she actually has the gall to stand up here when she still believes that Africa is a country. I raise this because the shadow foreign minister has repeatedly said that Africa is a country, to the point where the 54 countries in Africa have started a campaign that 'Africa is not a country.'

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

We will not have any props, thank you. The foreign minister will not use props.

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

This is a campaign begun by schools in Africa who want to reject the stereotypes, the misinformation—

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, on a point of order—

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

The member for Watson will resume his seat.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

The member for Isaacs will leave under 94(a). I think I might name the member for Isaacs: I name the member for Isaacs.

The member for Isaacs then left the chamber.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I move:

That the member be suspended from the service of the House.

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

The question is that the member for Isaacs be suspended from the House.

Order! The honourable member for Isaac is suspended from the service of the House for 24 hours under standing order 94(b).

The member for Isaac then left the chamber.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.