Bob Carr denies drafting questions for Labor Senator Kristina Keneally about China’s foreign interference operations in Australia

FORMER Foreign Minister Bob Carr has rejected claims he prompted Senator Kristina Keneally to ask the government pointed questions about a key adviser on China issues.

BOB Carr has rejected reports he is using a Labor senator to grill government officials about Malcolm Turnbull’s former adviser on China’s interference in Australia.

In the latest twist in the ongoing saga surrounding Australia-China relations, the former Gillard Government Foreign Affairs Minister says he rejects “absolutely” Fairfax Media’s report he coached Labor Senator Kristina Keneally on questions about government adviser John Garnaut.

Mr Garnaut, a China expert, reportedly worked on a top secret report into foreign interference in Australia launched by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2016.

The details of the report have never been released.

But the inquiry is believed to have looked at the activities of Chinese businessman Huang Xiangmo, who launched the think tank headed by Mr Carr, the Australia China Relations Institute.

Ex Gillard Government Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr rejects claims he drafted questions for Labor senator Kristina Keneally. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

In a statement today, Mr Carr told News Corp he “rejected absolutely” claims he drafted a parliamentary question for Senator Keneally.

“Kristina is a highly educated woman who has served as premier of NSW,” Mr Carr said. “She’d reject the idea of anyone drafting her questions.”

Mr Carr added: “Certainly the Australian people are entitled to know if former journalist John Garnaut, who runs an extreme anti-China campaign, is being paid as a consultant by the Prime Minister’s department.”

“Anti-China zealotry can cost Australia jobs — in tourism, education and food exports,” he said.

“It doesn’t mean we don’t criticise China when deserved.”

Mr Carr also said the Australia-China Relations Institute’s core operations had been fully funded by the University of Technology Sydney since the end of 2016.

Fairfax reported that Mr Carr first suggested to Senator Keneally and her office that she use the parliament to ask questions about Mr Garnaut in a phone call on the evening of February 27.

He allegedly asked Ms Keneally on at least one other occasion to question Mr Garnaut’s work in Parliament.

Ms Keneally reportedly asked Prime Minister Turnbull about Mr Garnaut’s work for government, including his job title, who he reported to and the dates of his employment in the period between September 2015 and June 2017, in a question on notice this year.

Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

But Mr Carr’s alleged role in the questions only came to light after Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching asked government bureaucrats from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet about Mr Garnaut in senate estimates last week.

Labor sources told Fairfax Senator Kitching’s questions were drafted by ALP staffers and that Senator Keneally later told her Mr Carr had requested that they be asked.

Senator Kitching had asked: “Has the Prime Minister’s office or Department contracted Mr Garnaut’s services as a consultant, adviser or speechwriter since June 2017?”

PM & C spokeswoman Stephanie Foster responded: “We certainly have a contract with John Garnaut. That’s a contract with the department as a specialist speechwriter.”

Labor frontbencher Brendan O’Connor defended Senator Keneally today.

“Senator Keneally said she of course drafted and wrote her own questions and asked her own questions. The questions, if you look at them, are quite straight up and down,” he told Sky News.

“She refutes what’s been alleged.”

Mr O’Conner added: “We should be investigating all manner of things at Senate estimates. That’s our job. I think there’s nothing to see here.”