Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Minister, prior to the election, Labor MP Josh Burns promised Jewish Australians' interests would be protected 'irrespective of who forms government', and the now Attorney-General, Mark Dreyfus, claimed on matters to do with Israel that Australia 'spoke with one voice'. Yesterday, though, Australia Israel Labor Dialogue co-convener Adam Slomin said your unilateral decision to change Australia's longstanding position on Israel and the disputed territories:

… places Australia as an outsider and not a cooperative supporter for both parties to reach a two-state solution.

Meanwhile, the Zionist Federation of Australia and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry jointly described your decision as 'inaccurate, ahistorical and counterproductive' and that it put a peace agreement further out of reach. Minister, can you cite precisely what motivated your government to make this unilateral change at this time other than to appease Labor's factions ahead of next week's party conference?