Thread by @stephendziedzic

Fresh thread for the PM @dfat hearings. Abetz asks about collective pushback to Chinese economic coercion. Hayhurst says there's "growing cooperation to protect those aspects of... the international trading systems on which countries rely." He says "the trend is clearly there" 1/

https://twitter.com/stephendziedzic/status/1493707080661827585

Abetz asks (perhaps tongue in cheek) if there is a global "victims' group" for countries hit by Chinese coercion. Hayhurst visibly winces and says "victims' group is not a phrase I'd use." Abetz acknowledges. Hayhurst says Aus pursues cooperation on this "in many forums" 2/

Now Senator Patrick asks about Taiwan and China. Hayhurst since situation remains "very serious" but has not appreciably deteriorated in recent months. Mainland attitudes to Taiwan are "hardening" while Taiwan's citizens want to preserve their autonomy. Situation is difficult 3/

How will the Russia/China agreement impact on Taiwan? Hayhurst says he doesn't think the pact will have an "appreciable effect specifically on the Taiwan situation" but clearly the two countries are coordinating more and signalling a more "overt" challenge to int order 4/

Now Greens Senator Janet Rice. She asks about human rights abuses in India. Is there a point when democratic decay/sectarianism will push Australia to reconsider engagement with India through Quad for eg? Payne simply says Australia raises "concerns" with India on human rights 5/

Now she asks about the Chinese-Australian dual citizen being prosecuted under the NSL in Hong Kong. Officials confirm he is the only Aust detained under the NSL right now. Another dual citizen is currently being prosecuted under criminal law 6/ abc.net.au/news/2022-02-0…

Keneally asks about this disturbing story by my colleagues @MazoeFord and @elisereports - a former staff member at the Australian embassy in Bangkok was charged by Thai police after spy cameras were discovered in women's bathrooms 7/ abc.net.au/news/2022-02-0…

Payne says "we have no tolerance for this sort of appalling behaviour." Australia will be "fully engaged" with the Thai authorities on the investigation and will let them into the Embassy if necessary 8/

Will there be any changes to protocols or security as a result? Officials say "when an incident occurs, whether of this or any other nature, we take it as an opportunity to look at protocols and look at opportunities to make improvements" 9/

Now Ayres is asking about the car crash involving High Commissioner to the UK George Brandis. When will the investigation into the incident conclude? Campbell says "in the next short period" 10/
dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/londo…

Campbell doesn't answer detailed questions on the crash. Did it happen because Brandis ordered his driver to catch up to the PM's motorcade? Campbell just says the investigation is ongoing 11/

Well. @dfat officials have given Border Force a pretty firm rebuke over the way it seized correspondence (which potentially should have been protected by diplomatic privilege) from Vanuatu's High Commissioner. DFAT officials say the process was "less than satisfactory" 12/

Here's some background to the story. @dfat officials only found out about the material a few months after the raid. They only provided legal advice in December, around six months after the seizure 13/ theaustralian.com.au/nation/border-….

DFAT officials say they've written to the ABF basically saying they should be contacted and consulted in these circumstances. ABF "should have been aware" of this requirement. They say the AFP has entrenched these procedures, but ABF hasn't 14/

Interesting snippet I missed. Payne says she's had discussions with Frydenberg and Birmingham about the Future Fund's investments in companies (including weapons manufacturers) doing business with the junta in Myanmar. @dfat will also increase their engagement with FF on this 15/

An update: the committee hears that things in Iran are, generally speaking, not ideal 16/

Now the Ag Visa. The government wanted to get the first workers in by end of last year. It hasn't happened yet. Keneally asks have any countries yet signed up? No. But McDonald says negotiations with Indonesia should conclude "in the not too distant future" 17/

There are another three countries negotiating to potentially entering the scheme but the Government refuses to name them because they're keeping negotiations confidential. However I'm not bound by the same sensitivities: from memory they are Vietnam, Philippines + Thailand 18/

Payne denies a report that there has been a "spat" between the Nats and the Liberals over the Ag visa delay. She says they are pushing to get the Indonesia agreement done ASAP 19/

Keneally asks why we're investing so much time/capital in getting a few people in on Ag visas if we've got 50 thousand + workers ready to go from the Pacific. @stephenrhowes lays out similar questions here 20/ devpolicy.org/rationale-fade…

McDonald says there are still some "restrictions" and barriers facing Pacific workers keen to come to Australia and there's great demand for labour in Australia. He says yes the Ag visa will start small, but will likely scale up over time 21/

Senator Kitching asks about the PIF split. Has Australia been involved in the discussions which will (apparently) see Henry Puna step down within months? Ewen McDonald says Fiji (as PIF chair) has taken the lead. PIF will need to reach a "consensus" 22/ abc.net.au/news/2022-02-1…

Australian officials say the pause to the PIF split is "welcome" but they clearly want to steer weeeeeellll clear of commenting here on the specifics of the deal being negotiated 23/

Now Kitching asks about this story. Payne and officials talk extensively about work Australia has done encouraging development of Pacific media but don't really comment on the MD's specific allegations about Chinese pressure 24/ abc.net.au/news/2022-02-1…