Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I assume this means that the senator is concerned that he might miss out on his lunch! I cannot confirm the particular arrangements you have asked about, Senator, but I would take the view that normally, when a visiting head of state comes to Australia, such arrangements are put in place. I gather that the opposition spokesperson, Ms Julie Bishop, had been briefed and then was out there talking about those arrangements. I am not sure whether she was briefed confidentially or not, but anyway that is for her.

I make clear that both the Australian and the Indonesian governments have indicated that the President’s visit to Australia has been accepted but that due to domestic matters and scheduling matters the President will probably take up that invitation next year. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the President’s spokesman, Dino Patti Djalal, ‘said suggestions the timing of the visit related to the stand-off involving the Sri Lankans were rubbish’. The spokesman also said:

The President has a lot on the domestic agenda. He’s just spent six days in Malaysia and at APEC. He wants to go to Australia when it can be a fully-focused visit.

So my understanding is that the President will visit in the new year. Those arrangements will obviously be finalised and the details announced in due course. I am sure that at that time those sorts of official engagements will occur.