Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. On Tuesday the Prime Minister told his colleagues, 'Never go to Lima for the weekend.' What exactly when wrong while the Prime Minister was in Lima? Was the Prime Minister referring to the Deputy Prime Minister declaring war on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If the Prime Minister said that, I am sure he would not have been reflecting on Peruvian tourism. But, as you raised the matter, the Prime Minister's attendance at the APEC Summit in Lima was an enormously successful occasion, because, in particular, it gave the Prime Minister and the other leaders of the APEC economies the opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to the integration of the world economy, to reaffirm their commitment to free trade—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Senator Polley, a point of order?

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, that was not the question; the question was very specific: what exactly went wrong while the Prime Minister was in Lima? Was the Prime Minister referring to the Deputy Prime Minister declaring war on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan? It had nothing to do with the reason he was there.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Polley, you had two parts to your question. The first part was what went wrong when the Prime Minister was in Lima. The Attorney-General has been discussing what happened in Lima, and so far he is indicating that nothing went wrong.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point I was trying to make to Senator Polley is that nothing went wrong in Lima; everything went right, because it gave Australia and it gave the leader of Australia the opportunity for long discussions with the President of the United States, with Xi Jinping, with Shinzo Abe, with Justin Trudeau and with other world leaders in our region and in the Pacific basin and gave them the opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to free trade, to reaffirm their commitment to the greater integration of their national economies and—notwithstanding observations that have come from the President-Elect of the United States of America about the TPP—to reaffirm their interest in and commitment to entering into a trans-Pacific free trade arrangement or agreement of some kind and to continue to prosecute those negotiations. So, it was a fine old time in Lima. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Polley, a supplementary question?

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I do have a supplementary question. In fact, I agree partly with Senator Brandis, because everything went wrong here. But was the Prime Minister referring to the Nationals rebellion against the ban on the import of the Adler A110 shotgun?

Senator O'Sullivan interjecting—

Senator Cameron interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Sullivan and Senator Cameron, go outside if you need to discuss things across the chamber.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Polley, you asked me about what happened in Lima and whether anything went wrong in Lima, and I am telling you that Australia's representation at Lima by the Prime Minister was enormously successful. Now, particularly in view of some of the observations that have come from the President-Elect of the United States of America, of course it was important that Australia's voice be heard in that forum to reaffirm our commitment to free trade and the greater integration of the economies of our region. And you may seek to make light of it, Senator Polley, but for the Prime Minister of Australia to have the opportunity for long meetings with, for example, President Xi of China and Prime Minister Abe of Japan, was extremely helpful and extremely beneficial to Australia.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Polley, a final supplementary question?

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Was the Prime Minister referring to his very, very mediocre Attorney-General's latest gaff calling for the split of the Liberal National Party in Queensland?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, I have heard of a long bow, Mr President, but I have never seen a bow drawn quite as long as that—from Lima to the LNP! I have never seen a bow drawn as long as that. Among the other things that the Prime Minister discussed with other regional and world leaders in Lima was the continuing—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Pause the clock. Senator Polley, a point of order?

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I would ask that you draw Senator Brandis to the question so that he can at least attempt a reasonable response.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will draw the nature of your question to the Attorney-General.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The efforts that Australia is making in coalition with many of the nations represented at APEC in the global fight against terrorism—

Senator Polley interjecting—

Once again, Senator Polley, you might think that is a laughing matter. I actually do not happen to think it is a laughing matter. The Prime Minister's visit to Lima, his attendance at the APEC Leaders Summit, was extremely successful and very important to Australia's national interests, particularly in light of the recent elections in the United States of America. It was an entirely successful visit. (Time expired)

I ask that further questions be placed upon the Notice Paper.