Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The last year this exercise was conducted, the madman in Pyongyang exploded an atomic bomb—tested an atomic bomb—as a signal to the US that they didn't appreciate this. Now is a very, very sensitive time. We have seen a clear escalation of tensions. We have seen provocation after provocation in North Korea. We saw some welcome de-escalation in this debate in the last 24 hours, where both sides have dialled back their rhetoric. Why are we going ahead and participating in a military exercise in North Korea at a time when every expert recognises that this is a very dangerous and volatile situation?

Question negatived.