Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I refer to reports just published online by Fairfax Media headlined '"For the Pacific it's always about cash": Environment Minister in diplomatic incident over climate change'. These reports indicate that last night, when the Minister for the Environment, Melissa Price, was told the former President of Kiribati was in Australia to deliver a message on climate change, the environment minister told the former President:

I know why you're here. It is for the cash. For the Pacific it's always about the cash. I have my chequebook here. How much do you want?

Does the minister consider this to be an appropriate thing for a minister to say to the former President of one of Australia's Pacific neighbours?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I note that Senator Wong is referring to a media report that has been published, as I understand it, during the process of this question time, so obviously I have not had a chance to speak to the minister about it. However, I am advised that, as I understand it—and I acknowledge that Senator Dodson is here in the chamber—the minister has already contacted Senator Dodson to indicate that she strongly disagrees with his interpretation of the conversation and has also sought to contact the guest to ensure that there has been no misunderstanding and that no offence was taken. That is my understanding of the circumstances.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, a supplementary question.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What steps will this minister take to ensure that Minister Price's uninformed, offensive comments do not cause further damage to Australia's relationship with our Pacific neighbours?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have indicated to the chamber that the minister has explicitly disagreed with the interpretation that was placed on the comments in the media story. Senator Wong, in raising a matter that I have not had an opportunity to check, has now repeated the assertion, and that may be the approach she chooses to take. But I also know that Senator Ruston has met today with the former President and reaffirmed our strong commitments to the Pacific in that conversation. She has advised him that her role—including also, of course, what I do as Minister for Foreign Affairs—is to work closely with our Pacific neighbours to build climate change resilience, to support them in adaptation, and we, of course, absolutely welcome the strong contribution of our neighbours across the Pacific, including the former President himself.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, a final supplementary question.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In 2015 Minister Dutton said about Pacific leaders, 'Time doesn't mean anything when you're about have water lapping at your door.' Is it any wonder that the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government has overseen a diminution of Australia's influence in the Pacific, when its ministers have underlying attitudes like these?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): I completely disagree with the proposition that Senator Wong has put. In fact, the Pacific is a very significant focus for this government. It is a very significant focus for me. My first overseas visit as the Minister for Foreign Affairs was to Nauru to participate in the Pacific Islands Forum with Senator Ruston. My first bilateral visit as the Minister for Foreign Affairs was completed last week to Papua New Guinea, our extremely important Pacific neighbour and the host of APEC 2018. It was at the Pacific Islands Forum in 2016 that then Prime Minister Turnbull committed to a significant step-up in Australia's engagement in the region—because we recognise that stepping up is not an option; it's actually an imperative. The focus that we have on the ties that have been formed through the region, which are very longstanding, is across history, trade, education, employment, sport, migration and so many other things, and that is what the government are focused on— (Time expired)