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

Not to disappoint Senator Wong, my question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. I refer to the Minister for Foreign Affairs's announcement last Tuesday reversing Australia's recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which was announced with initial denials by the minister's office on the Jewish Holy Day of Simchat Torah and just two weeks out from polling day in the Israeli elections. The Prime Minister has described as 'deeply regrettable' the government's handling of the announcement. He also said that it could have been done better and that it caused distress. Given these acknowledgements of failure, has the Prime Minister spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Lapid to apologise for the ham-fisted handling of this matter?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am taking the question representing the Prime Minister but I could equally take it as foreign minister. I want to start by saying that there are few issues that are more central for members of the Jewish community than the status of Jerusalem. It is more than a political issue; it is about history, about faith and about identity. It is at the heart of Israel's origins and its future and, importantly, there can be no lasting peace that does not address its status. The status of Jerusalem is so sensitive that, for the overwhelming majority of the international community, it has remained a final status issue to be resolved as part of any peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian people.

What the government has done is reaffirm Australia's previous longstanding and bipartisan position of that fact: that Jerusalem is a final status issue that should be resolved as part of any peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian people. I would remind the chamber that, notwithstanding some of the commentary, this has been Australia's position for decades. This was not changed by the Gorton government following the Six-Day War. It was not changed by Malcolm Fraser, Bob Hawke, John Howard or Malcolm Turnbull. Regrettably, there was one exception, which occurred during the period of the Morrison government, a period in which the shadow minister was a member of the cabinet. We know why that was. It was because he thought he could gain political advantage by announcing recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocating our embassy.

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

President, a point of order: the minister has provided one minute and 52 seconds of context for her answer. The sole question was whether the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Albanese, has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Lapid to apologise for the handling of the matter.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Birmingham. There was also a preamble to that question that mentioned holy days and the capital of West Jerusalem. I will listen carefully to the remainder of the minister's answer and I will draw her attention to the question if necessary.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The shadow minister also talked about the phrase 'deeply regrettable'. I think those are my words, and I have said that publicly. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham, a supplementary question?

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

Before the election, the then shadow Attorney-General, Mr Dreyfus, assured the Australian Jewish community there was no difference between the positions of the government—the Labor Party—and the opposition—now the Liberal and National parties—on Israel. As late as last Monday, the foreign minister's office denied any change of position to the media, to Jewish community representatives and to Israel's embassy. Why did the government mislead the government of Israel and the Australian Jewish community groups on this decision?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

First, if I can just finish this point, I think the shadow minister and the chamber do know that Mr Morrison changed decades of bipartisan position in relation to this matter for the Wentworth by-election. That's the context of it. I want to make this clear. We made very clear, in fact, if you look at what I said in 2018, that we not only opposed what Mr Morrison had done but we would be reversing it. This is in the context of the 2018 decision. With Mr Shorten as leader, we agreed that we would reverse this position should Labor form government. And we made clear prior to the last election that Jerusalem is a final status issue. The reality is there can be no lasting peace that does not address the status of Jerusalem, and we ought not be supporting an approach that undermines this prospect. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham, a second supplementary question?

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

Will the government join with Labor MP Josh Burns in apologising to Australia's Jewish community, and will efforts be made to apologise to the government of Israel? Further, will the government guarantee, consistent with the pre-election statements of Mr Burns and Mr Dreyfus, that it will make no further unilateral changes to Australia's position on matters relating to Israel and the Palestinian people?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have said publicly that the timing of the announcement, falling as it did on Simchat Torah, was deeply regrettable. I have said so publicly and I have said so in private. That is my view.

In relation to Israel, I will be clear. I have made sure that the ambassador is aware that I indicate this in the chamber: I have met with the ambassador, and we had a very constructive engagement. What I would say is that we both agree that Australia and Israel have a long and enduring friendship which we will both seek to strengthen.