Media
Radio 4BC with Mike Smith
Monday, 09 March 2009
Topic: Durban II Conference
MIKE SMITH {inaudible} … regarding Opposition concerns about the Governor General’s visit to Africa?
JULIE BISHOP The Governor-General as representative of the Head of State can represent Australia overseas and can play a role in promoting Australian interests and there are many precedents for that. However the mission the Governor-General is undertaking for the Rudd Government to lobby other countries for Australia to get one of the temporary seats on the Security Council would normally be done by a Government Minister and the Australian Government’s campaign to win votes is becoming highly politically contentious, not just in Australia but also overseas. And the Opposition is increasingly concerned at the strategy Mr Rudd is adopting to win the seat. It should not be at any cost, either financially or by compromising our principles. And there is a pattern of conduct emerging that feeds a very real perception that Mr Rudd is already horse-trading to curry favour with those United Nations member states he needs to get sufficient numbers for the seat. And our concern is that the office of the Governor-General should not be caught up in what is a highly contentious international issue.
The World Today with Hayden Cooper
Monday, 09 March 2009
Topic: Governor-General
ELEANOR HALL The Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, has become embroiled in a political controversy over Australia's bid for a seat at the UN Security Council.
The Federal Government says it needs the backing of African nations to secure the seat, and that enlisting the Governor-General's help is "absolutely essential".
Next week, Australia's head of state will be travelling to nine African countries and will lobby for the Australian UN bid. But the Opposition says the matter is too political for vice-regal involvement.
Hayden Cooper reports from Canberra.
ABC News Radio with Marius Benson
Monday, 09 March 2009
Topics: Afghanistan, Employment Laws, Rudd hypocrisy, Governor General
MARIUS BENSON Julie Bishop, can I ask you first in your capacity as Opposition Foreign Affairs spokeswoman on the reports that the Defence department is conducting a review of the rules of engagement governing our troops in Afghanistan in light of the death of five children, is that an appropriate action?
JULIE BISHOP I suggest we wait for the results of the investigation before commenting on the incident. As a nation, we are very proud of the men and women of the Australian Defence force, and we do recognise that in Afghanistan our soldiers are in the front line in the battle against terrorism, so it would not be appropriate for me to speculate on the incident prior to the investigation by the ADF.
Mr Smith should not go to Geneva
Sunday, 08 March 2009
The Australian Government should not attend the United Nations Durban Review Conference, to be held in Geneva on 20-24 April, due to the obvious potential for a repeat of the anti-Semitism that marred the first Durban conference, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop said today.
Official dinner; President of the Republic of Korea Lee Myung-bak
Thursday, 05 March 2009
Your Excellency, Prime Minister, Ministers, Members of Parliament, friends of Australia and the Republic of Korea. On behalf of the Liberal and National parties, I join with the Prime Minister in welcoming your Excellency to Australia.
I understand that you met last evening with my colleague and leader Malcolm Turnbull and he sends his best regards.
The relationship between Australia and the Republic of Korea is strong and is based on historic, strategic, economic and political links.
However, it is the personal ties, the people to people connections, that make the relationship between our two countries all the more enduring.
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