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

Well, I wasn't happy with the answer. I would have thought that the negotiations going on right now were extremely important, given that the vote is going to be tomorrow. I would have thought it was extremely important to have at least one government representative from parliament sitting in those meetings, especially with our neighbours and our friends. I would have thought it was extremely important, considering Japan, as you know, Senator Ruston, had a delegation of nearly 70 people, including nine parliamentarians and two senior ministers. It's not your fault that you were sent over there, Senator Ruston. I'm glad you went over there. But I do believe this government sent a signal of weakness—that we would only send an assistant minister in the place of a foreign minister, an environment minister or a Prime Minister, which is what we've sent previously.