Penny Wong, Foreign Minster: Last night the Government's national security package passed the Senate. These are laws that deal with the two things the Prime Minister said needed to be tackled. When the Bondi attackers went to Bondi, they had hate in their minds and guns in their hands, so we need to tackle both the hatred and the guns, and that's what the package that was passed last night does. But it was so disappointing that at a time where Australians want unity, that what we saw on the floor of the Senate was the division in the Coalition, Liberals voting on both sides of the chamber, Nationals Senators voting against their Liberal colleagues, and a very important question now is there for Sussan Ley. The Shadow Cabinet made a decision to support this legislation, but Shadow Cabinet members have voted against it. Will she enforce the convention that people, Shadow Cabinet members, who vote against the Shadow Cabinet position have to resign, or will she squib it? That is the question for Ms Ley and her authority is on the line. Happy to take questions.
Journalist: Are you able to provide some clarity around whether groups or individuals calling for or saying that Israel is committing genocide, as an example, would fall underneath these hate speech laws and be prosecuted for it?
Foreign Minster: Let's be clear, what this legislation does, it targets groups who are advocating or inciting hate crimes. It's not intended to constrain freedom of speech or legitimate political debate. It is intended to try and prevent groups from advocating for hate crimes. And the action can only be taken on the advice of the Director-General of ASIO and in consultation with two ministers and the Leader of the Opposition must be briefed. So there are a lot of checks and balances. But ultimately, in the wake of the horrific terrorist attack at Bondi, we saw 15 Australians, 15 Jewish Australians killed, an antisemitic attack inspired by a perversion of Islam, a radical, extremist group ISIS, we have to take action to crack down on hate and those who seek to inspire hate crimes.
Journalist: Just with the hate vilification, obviously, you weren't able to get the Opposition's support for that offence this time around, is that now off the table for you? Would you be open to reworking it in a way to get them on board?
Foreign Minster: Well, this is one of the examples of the way in which the Coalition under Ms Ley has pushed their own political agendas and being divisive. They said they wanted Parliament recalled, and then when we sought to recall it, they were against it. They said they wanted to crack down on hate speech, and then they were against that. They said they wanted Jillian Segal's report fully implemented, and then they didn't want it. They were against the report being fully implemented because racial vilification was a recommendation from the Special Envoy against antisemitism. What the Prime Minister has said is that we have to put legislation into the Parliament that we can get support for. I think it is really an abrogation of responsibility that the Coalition were not able to support vilification legislation in the wake of the worst terrorist attack we have seen that was fuelled by antisemitism.
Journalist: Just on a slightly different topic, are you able to provide, is there an update on where the invitation to Donald Trump's peace board is sitting with the Government yet?
Foreign Minster: I've been asked about that this morning, we're obviously considering that invitation and seeking to understand more about what the board will do and its remit and we're engaging with partners.
Journalist: Just one more from me. The aid funding in the Pacific, it's been a year since the US cut aid to that region. How has it affected from what you've seen in the Pacific islands?
Foreign Minster: First, as a matter of first principles, development assistance is an investment in stability, peace, it's an investment in our security. It's also an investment in the people whose region we share. So it is important for Australia. It's important for our stability, and it's important for the region. Obviously a number of donors have reduced their development funding, and that is having consequences. Now we can't deal with all of those consequences, but what we have done is pivoted as much of our aid as possible to fill the most critical gaps where we can. And so now 75 cents of every development dollar goes to the Indo-Pacific region. Thank you.