Russell Trood (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Faulkner. I refer to the foreign minister’s answer to a question yesterday in the other place in which he advised that, in considering whether to ratify a uranium sales agreement with Russia, the Australian government would:

... take into account not just the merits of the agreement but recent and ongoing events in Georgia ...

Is it the government’s view that the foreign minister’s posturing will actually have a discernible impact on Russia’s policy towards Georgia? Isn’t it more likely to damage Australia’s international reputation as a reliable supplier of resources?