Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I am sorry—Mr Abbott—even if Japan's bid is not the strongest of the three. We also found out recently that the Australian government has assigned, full time, a staff member in our embassy in Japan to hold the Japanese government's hand to help them submit a compliant bid. That is an extraordinary situation to be in. The French do not need that help, the Germans do not need that help, but the Australian government, to help out Mr Abbott's captain's pick, have got a full-time person assigned in our embassy in Japan to help the Japanese put in a complying bid. What a shambles!