[Australia]: Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Session #001

[Owen]

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The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, would be asked to front the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade as soon as she returned to Canberra from Saigon regarding the recent public broadcasting and leaking of highly classified information by the Minister to the world media and numerous governments around the world. She would be accompanied by the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Frances Adamson and the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin who would be there to answer questions about the public acknowledge of Operation Quickstep. The commitee proceedings would be broadcasted on the ABC and APAC. The Members of Parliament and Senators present would be: Michael Danby, MP (Chair, Member for Melbourne Ports) Ann Sudmalis, MP (Deputy Chair, Member for Gilmore) Senator Louise Pratt (Western Australia) Senator David Fawcett (South Australia) Senator Nita Green (Queensland) Senator Sarah Hanson-Young (South Australia) Senator Linda Reynolds (Western Australia) Senator Scott Ludlam (Western Australia) Senator Paul Scarr (Queensland) Senator Alex Gallacher (South Australa) Senator Claire Moore (Queensland) Senator Richard Colbeck (Tasmania) Senator Marise Payne (New South Wales) Senator Doug Cameron (New South Wales) Dick Adams, MP (Member for Lyons) Julie Bishop, MP (Member for Curtin) Gai Brodtmann, MP (Member for Canberra) Anthony Byrne, MP (Member for Holt) Nick Champion, MP (Member for Wakefield) Anne Stanley, MP (Member for Werriwa) Julian Hill, MP (Member for Bruce) Andrew Giles, MP (Member for Scullin) Ben Morton, MP (Member for Tangney) Richard Marles, MP (Member for Corio) Sophie Mirabella, MP (Member for Indi) Craig Laundy, MP (Member for Reid) Chris Trevor, MP (Member for Flynn) Stuart Robert, MP (Member for Fadden) Julian Leeser, MP (Member for Berowra) Janelle Saffin, MP (Member for Page) David Littleproud, MP (Member for Maranoa) Mal Brough, MP (Member for Fisher) Damian Drum, MP (Member for Murray) Maria Vamvakinou, MP (Member for Calwell) OOC: Red = Australian Labor Party, currently in government and questions are generally not going to embarass the government or be critical of them Blue = Coalition (Liberal Party, National Party, Liberal National Party), currently in opposition and questions are generally going to be critical of or try to embarass the government Green = Australian Greens, a minor party in the Senate which is highly critical of Australian foreign policy and has a general left-wing view on defence and foreign affairs ANY ROLEPLAYERS CAN ROLEPLAY AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE. Please stick to only roleplaying one member and don't roleplay a member that another person is roleplaying. Try and stick to the guidelines provided above depending on the political party of the member you choose to roleplay. The Chair and Deputy Chair are not roleplayable and will remain in control of myself and they will moderate the questions asked to the three members of the panel.

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[Joe]

David Fawcett, MP, would immediately rise to his feet to begin questioning but would double over instantly in pain. He'd fall to the ground, clutching at his abdomen screaming.

"My liver!"

He'd be taken out on a stretcher to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Ann Sudmalis, MP, would speak.

"Madam Minister, why don't you give us a recap of what happened?"

 

[Owen]

"Oh dear.." The Minister would look at David who just collapsed. The other members would assist him in getting out of the room. An ACT Ambulance Service ambulance would arrive at Parliament House to take David to the Canberra Hospital.

The Minister would proceed to answer the Deputy Chair Ann Sudmalis.

"Well, I had a very productive meeting with the Vietnamese Global Assemblywoman, we talked about a range of issues and we further strengthened the bilateral relationship between Australia and Vietnam." She would smile, looking at the Deputy Chair, subtly thanking her for the easy question.

 

[John]

Craig Laundy would speak up.

"Minister, what is your reasoning for the comments made about the CIS and ISAF? This could have possible endangered the position of Australia in the world and leave us hated by countries on all sides."

 

[Owen]

“Mr. Laundy, I don’t believe my comments about ISAF were endangering of Australia’s position in the world I do believe ISAF is faltering in the face of a rising CIS and I would take those comments to ISAF secretariat. It’s not a criticism but a mere observation and Australia stands ready to support ISAF in expanding its global presence and making sure that it can live up to its responsibility to be a force for good in the world. Certainly, we have an action plan to become a member of ISAF and we are working towards that. Improvements to ISAF do need to be made especially in the face of the CIS threat and it is an observation and we would work closely with ISAF to do that.

In regards to CIS however, while Australia does endeavour to improve relations with all members of the globe we do need to stand up to aggression and imperialism when it happens and currently certain member states of CIS are doing that and we make no apologies for making our views on the matter heard. If a CIS member state who is peace loving and strives for global stability wishes to improve relations with Australia I will welcome that, so no I don’t accept the proposition that the comments I made, whichever ones you were referring to, falters Australia’s position in the world.”

“Mr. Laundy, do you wish to ask a follow up?” The Chair, Michael Danny would ask.

 

[John]

"But you have seen it for yourself, countries fall out and attack over the stupidest reasons. What guarantee can you make that countries will not become hostile towards Australia?"

 

[Owen]

“I would be hopeful that the members of ISAF and CIS, especially ISAF, are more than capable of being able to critically evaluate what was said and to approach the matter with due regard. If any have any grievances with the comments I made I wish for them to make correspondence with my office so we can resolve those grievances.”