A Moment of Sheer Bipartisan Magic

While you were all toiling at the coalface yesterday, you'll be pleased to know that your 'leaders', in the padded depths of their parliamentary playpen, were sweating over a matter of vital importance to the welfare of this great nation:-

The Speaker - I have received a letter from the honourable the Deputy Leader of the Opposition proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The government's failure to properly manage Australia's foreign relations.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin - Deputy Leader of the Opposition) - One of the most important roles of the person who holds the office of Prime Minister of Australia is to manage our foreign relations in a way that benefits the natural interest... I think it is instructive... to look at some of the statements of this Prime Minister when in opposition... yadda, yadda, yadda... It is... deeply regrettable that the Labor government is overturning Australia's longstanding bipartisan policy of refusing to support one-sided resolutions against Israel in the United Nations General Assembly. The coalition has always recognised the aspirations of the Palestinian people to self-determination. But any prospect for a lasting peace in the Middle East also requires that the Palestinian people and Israel's neighbours recognise the right of the state of Israel to live within secure borders. This must be the crucial foundation for any durable two-state solution. Resolutions at the UNGA that speak only of Palestinian rights to a homeland yet make no reference to the right of the state of Israel to exist are inflammatory and counterproductive. This is especially so when key backers of these resolutions such as Iran speak openly of seeking the destruction of the state of Israel. Late last year we saw a shift in Australia's voting patterns for UNGA resolutions on the conflict in the Middle East. It is disappointing that the Australian government has again voted in support for such a resolution.* We in the opposition again express our hope that the Labor government is not trading on fundamental questions of principle in order to attract support at the UN for the Prime Minister's personal campaign to win a seat on the UN Security Council. More than 60 years ago the Australian government was one of the first countries to vote in support of the creation of the state of Israel at the UN. It has not been the traditional practice of Australian governments to adopt or endorse some of the one-sided resolutions against Israel that now come before the UN. This government has now voted in favour of 3 of these resolutions. Why? Why have they done this? We can only assume it has to do with the Prime Minister's efforts to garner votes for his personal crusade to secure a seat on the UNSC. Australia should never get into the business of trading on principle or on our support of Israel simply to gather votes for the campaign for the SC. If some principles are compromised, where will this government stop?... yadda, yadda, yadda.

Mr Stephen Smith (Perth - Minister for Foreign Affairs) - yadda, yadda, yadda.

Ms Julie Bishop - What about Israel?

Mr Stephen Smith - I will deal with all of them; do not worry... yadda, yadda, yadda... Let me deal with the Middle East. The government has changed 3 votes before the GA -

Ms Julie Bishop - Why?

The Deputy Speaker - The Deputy Leader of the Opposition had her turn earlier.

Mr Stephen Smith - They were on settlements, reflecting precisely the same view as the United States administration; on the Geneva Conventions applying to the occupied territories - and how would Australia have looked in the terrible Gaza conflict last December and January if we had not adhered to the application of the Geneva Conventions?; and, thirdly, on the right of self-determination of the Palestinians -

Ms Julie Bishop interjecting -

The Deputy Speaker - The Deputy Leader of the Opposition had her turn. She is abusing the standing orders.

Mr Stephen Smith - When you look at who votes in those matters, at the strong stand that Australia takes defending Israel's interests on the Goldstone report and at the strong stand that Australia took in the Durban II review, we are in very good company because our approach to these matters is a two-nation-state solution and to support the peace process. (Time expired)

Mr Johnson (Ryan) - yadda, yadda, yadda.

Mr Dreyfus (Isaacs) - yadda, yadda, yadda... But I also wanted to mention just how absurd are some of the nitpicking propositions that were advanced by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition... in relation to Australia's long-standing and continuing support for Israel... yadda, yadda, yadda... In relation to Israel, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition should be ashamed of herself for suggesting that there has been any lessening in the strength of Australia's support for the state of Israel. She omitted to mention - and this is the selective approach she took to almost all of the topics she mentioned - the support Australia gave to Israel during the Gaza conflict at the start of this year; the vote that Australia made at, and Australia's position in withdrawing from, the Durban review conference and its assistance to ensure that other countries did the same; the Deputy Prime Minister's visit to Israel as part of the Australia-Israel Leadership Forum in June this year; and Australia's position on the Goldstone report. (Time expired)

Mr Laming (Bowman) - yadda, yadda, yadda.

Ms Parke (Fremantle) - yadda, yadda, yadda. (pp 57-67, Hansard, 19/11/09)

And then, guess what? Magic happened! A hush fell over the House. You could hear the proverbial pin drop. Stephen's eyes met Julie's across a crowded chamber. As if in a trance they moved, nay glided, towards one another. Then, hand-in-hand, in the most extraordinary display of bipartisanship the House had seen since the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition sang Happy Birthday to Israel on March 14 last year, they announced that they'd like to dedicate another song to Israel in confirmation of the Lucky Country's undying love for the Plucky Country. And then, as the assembled members grew misty-eyed and broke out in goose bumps, Stephen and Julie proceeded to belt out Helen Reddy's immortal classic You're My World:

You're my world, you're every breath I take
You're my world, you're every move I make
Other eyes see the stars [of David] up in the sky
But for me they shine within your eyes

As the trees reach for the sun above
So my arms reach out to you for love
With your hand resting in mine
I feel a power so divine

You're my world, you are my night & day
You're my world, you're every prayer I pray
If our love ceases to be
That is the end of my world for me

With your hand resting in mine
I feel a power so divine

You're my world, you are my night & day
You're my world, you're every prayer I pray
If our love ceases to be
That is the end of my world for me
End of my world
End of my world
End of my world for me...

[*It's curious how the Australian corporate media simply doesn't bother reporting how we vote in the UNGA. Apparently, the resolution referred to by Bishop - a re-affirmation of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination - was voted on earlier this month.]