OK! It's @dfat estimates day, once again. I'll tweet excerpts. @dfat has been brought forward by a day because Marise Payne will shortly fly to Europe for a series of meetings. Some details of that trip (Munich, Paris, Prague) here 1/ abc.net.au/news/2022-02-1…
No Penny Wong today- she's away for medical reasons. Kristina Keneally expected to take lead for Labor. Payne opens by paying tribute to Brendan Sargeant, who died over the weekend. Payne says he gave "great service" to Australia 2/ canberratimes.com.au/story/7619978/…
Keneally asks about Ukraine, and the reports of a Russian troop withdrawal. Dep Sec Katrina Cooper says "it's an encouraging sign that we are hearing those reports" but "we do need to drill down a little bit" to verify it 3/ abc.net.au/news/2022-02-1…
There are currently 186 Australians registered in Ukraine. That's higher than the last figure but that's (apparently) largely because more Australians in the country have registered. Officials say many are leaving - "we are happily seeing a large number of Australians depart" 4/
How about Australia's offer of additional cyber assistance to Ukraine? @AusAmbCyberTech says "we are well progressed in detailed discussions with our Ukrainian counterparts on our proposed meaningful cooperation on cyber issues" but no announcements yet 5/ abc.net.au/news/2022-01-2…
Keneally asks about this @DaveSharma piece on Russia. Did Payne approve it? (Editor: this would be a surprising development) Payne confirms she didn't and says (with a slightly arch smile) that many Coalition backbenchers have flowing "creative juices" 6/ smh.com.au/world/north-am…
Worth noting the piece was penned over 18 months ago. And I'll venture into opinion here and say while I didn't agree with Sharma at the time I reckon it's a good thing that backbenchers venture into print and put forward new ideas! Of course I *would* say that 7/
Keneally asks why Morrison hasn't spoken to Zelensky. "No-one is suggesting our actions are central, but it does appear these many fine words ... have not been backed up with actual action. There is a level of passivity" 8/
Payne says she rejects that utterly. Points to her discussions with her Ukrainian counterpart + discussions with European leaders, plus offer of further assistance on cyber. Makes it clear Australia will join international sanctions if Russia does invade 9/
An intervention from Liberal Senator David Van who makes it pretty clear he didn't much like Sharma's op-ed and says he believes Australia needs to "push back" against authoritarianism. He's written his own piece for @LowyInstitute 10/ lowyinstitute.org/the-interprete…
Kitching asks about (rather battered) ties with France. Will Payne get a meeting with her French counterpart while she's in Paris for the Info-Pacific FMs meeting? Payne: "we're working through bilateral commitments literally at this point in time, they are not settled yet" 11/
Kitching asks if Australia has made concrete offers to France (as it's requested) to redefine the basis of the relationship and re-establish trust. Interesting. Payne makes it clear there have been quite a few meetings in recent weeks on this very question. No details. 12/
Kitching asks Payne and Campbell about the PMO leaking Macron's text message to the Daily Tele. Campbell says she learned of the leak "via the media." When? "When the media reported it." Was she consulted by PMO? "No." 13/
Kitching asks Campbell if she agrees with French officials that the leak was a "crude and unconventional" tactic. She won't be drawn, reverts to talking points: "we're working very hard to make sure our relationship remains strong... I am very focussed on us moving forward" 14/
It has to be said, there is a Penny Wong sized hole in the room. Officials are a bit less on edge. Not the same underlying hum of slight anxiety 15/
We go around and around on climate/COP26. All fair questions but no real progress. Payne defends government's existing commitments. Acknowledges US wants more ambition. Repetitive back and forth on targets/aspirations. ALP Senator Tim Ayres exhales loudly several times 16/
We're in a break. If you're following, this is a good time to read this piece from my colleague @Henry_Belot. The ABC's MD told Estimates that Pacific broadcasters have raised concerns about Chinese govt pressure to carry state-owned media 17/ abc.net.au/news/2022-02-1…
We're back. Starting with the Tonga recovery effort. The affable Ewen McDonald fielding questions. How have we dealt with the covid outbreak plus power outage on HMAS Adelaide? McDonald says it's pressed ahead with the mission + all pallets of aid delivered 18/
A rather pointed exchange on the Great Barrier Reef. Whish-Wilson asks about Ambassadors taking to social media to promote federal govt measures to protect the reef. He asks - "what about the actions they're taking to approve new fossil fuel projects?" 19/
Now the delicate question of bipartisanship on China. Former ASIO director-general Dennis Richardson has made it clear he's uneasy with the Coalition's attacks on Labor for being "soft" on China, saying national security shouldn't be politicised 20/ theaustralian.com.au/nation/politic…
Keneally asks Payne if she believes it's important to maintain bipartisanship. Payne is a bit uneasy here. She says Estimates isn't the appropriate place for this debate. Agrees that Labor has often offered bipartisan support but also says that has "not always been the case" 21/
Payne is walking a fine line here, again. She acknowledges bipartisanship is desirable + says she makes point to allies that Australia's position on China is "strong." But she says that doesn't give Labor a "leave pass" for its "inconsistency" (at times) on China 22/
Keneally is really drilling down on this here. Now she raises this comment from @Rory_Medcalf in the Aus this morning who said the government "can't have it both ways" when it criticises Labor on national security 23/ 
Dep Sec Justin Hayhurst is drawn into the fray. Rather fraught territory for a senior official! Keneally asks if China seeks to sow division in Australia. He keeps it broad- "it's fair to say the Chinese system seeks to exploit social and other divisions in countries" 24/
Israel. Liberal Senator David Fawcett sharply criticises Amnesty International which recently said Israel was committing the crime of apartheid against Palestinians in the occupied territories. Senior @dfat official Marc Innes-Brown says "it's not a characterisation we share" 25/
Now to the case of Van Kham Chau, an Australian pro-democracy activist jailed in Vietnam. Aust officials haven't been granted access for almost a year (!) because of COVID restrictions. But they *do* have a consular visit approved for later this month 26/ abc.net.au/news/2021-01-1…
Keneally asks about dozens of Australian women and children (largely family members of Islamic State fighters or supporters) who remain stuck at al-Roj camp in Syria. Are there any moves to repatriate them? 27/ abc.net.au/news/2021-10-2…
Some countries have managed to repatriate women and children from the camps. But there are substantial security risks. Payne says situation is still "volatile" and says "we are always keeping the situation ... under review." So no decision (yet) to attempt repatriation 28/
Keneally asks about this story from my colleague @tomrjoyner about a 17-year-old Australian inside a Syrian prison. @AusAmbCT gives a slightly oblique (and confusing) answer- "he might have escaped from the prison, he might not have." The Dept is "seeking his location" 29/
Sudden flare-up. Ayres says Dutton has engaged in a "sleazy and desperate assault on national interest" by attacking Labor on China. Payne completely rejects that but says (a bit cryptically) that "members have to own their own remarks ... and I mean every single one of them" 30/
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