Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Brandis representing the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister believe that the recent actions of the Trump administration contribute to or undermine peace building, global security and human rights?

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

Before I address your question, may I welcome you back. It is good to see you back after your period of illness late last year. The Prime Minister is not of that view. As I have said many times, and the Prime Minister and the foreign minister have said many times as well, the Australian government will work with any American administration. There may be points of difference—there have been, historically. Nevertheless, it is in Australia's interests that the Australian government work with any American administration, and we do.

As you know, the Prime Minister has spoken to President Trump on two occasions. On the second of those occasions that week a difference was resolved, when Mr Turnbull, as you would expect of an Australian Prime Minister, stood up for Australia's interests. The foreign minister has spoken as recently as this morning to Secretary Tillerson, the new Secretary of State, and on several occasions to Vice President Pence. On Saturday morning I spoke to the Homeland Security Advisor, Mr Bossert, and other members of the cabinet have spoken to their interlocutors in the Trump administration. That is the way Australia does business, as you know, and it is very much in our national interest that, allowing for the fact that there may be differences from time to time, we have a cooperative and cordial relationship with the United States, and we will.

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask a supplementary question. On a number of occasions Prime Minister Turnbull has referred to Australia as having shared values to those of the United States. On behalf of the Australian Greens I seek some clarification of these shared values. Is he referring to President Donald Trump's intention to reintroduce torture, provoking a new nuclear weapons arms race, deliberate escalation of tensions with Iran, threats of a war in the South China Sea, the invasion of Mexico, the banning of Muslims from entering the United States, contempt for the rule of law and his weird admiration for authoritarian regimes?

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

What the Prime Minister is referring to is America's commitment to liberal democratic values. You may question the policies or attitudes of any particular American president from time to time. You are at liberty to do so. But let us never forget the great historical context and sweep. America is the greatest liberal democracy the world has ever seen. Australia is a great liberal democracy. Those are the values we share, which will endure down the ages.

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A final supplementary question: does the Prime Minister's intent to set an independent foreign policy in which human rights, the rule of law and human security will prevail? Or are these shared values of which he speaks more narrowly limited to treating traumatised and vulnerable asylum seekers as though they were somehow less than human?

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

I will ignore all that rather poisonous rhetoric and remind you that Australia's key strategic alliance partnership in the world is with the United States, through the ANZUS Treaty—that treaty of the Menzies government of 1952 which, supported by both sides of Australian politics, though evidently not by the Australian Greens, has long and will long continue to be a foundation stone of our national security.