Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Brandis, should not be taking sides on the US presidential election, because in doing that he is only following what Prime Minister John Howard did so infamously. Governments in transition countries such as Libya and Egypt will, I am sure, respond vigorously to extremists and protect diplomats in their countries. President Morsi of Egypt told me earlier this month that Egypt was neither a military nor a religious state; it is a civil state. Australia's posts overseas already contribute to several cross-cultural programs both in the Middle East and in the Asia Pacific. In Indonesia, for example, we support student exchanges between Australian and Indonesian schools. The program has connected more than 90,000 Australian and Indonesian students and thousands of teachers since it commenced in 2008. The Australia-Indonesia Institute— (Time expired)