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

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. When China unilaterally imposed an air defence identification zone in the East China Sea in 2013, Foreign Minister Bishop defended the Australian government's strong response by saying: 'China does not respect weakness.' Given China's unilateral actions in the South China Sea, and Ms Bishop's previous comments, why has the government failed to authorise a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea?