Anthony Albanese slams Scott Morrison over handling of China

Anthony Albanese has had enough. At a press conference on Thursday morning, he launched into a massive tirade about the PM’s failed relationship with China.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has launched into a tirade about Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s failed dealings with China, accusing him of “going missing” when it mattered most.

Mr Albanese was visibly angered when responding to a question from news.com.au on Thursday morning about the new security pact China has signed with the Solomon Islands and what that could mean for China’s expanded presence in the Pacific.

Asked how he would address the China crisis, the Labor leader was definitive.

“We’ll actually not go missing,” he said. “This government has gone missing.”

The China deal was signed by the Solomon Islands in defiance of warnings from Australia and the United States.

It followed direct appeals to the Solomon Islands — which lies less than 2,000 km from Australia — not to sign the deal with China.

The Morrison Government was slammed for sending Liberal frontbencher Zed Seselja to the region last week to hold crisis talks over the agreement, instead of Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

Anthony Albanese slammed Scott Morrison’s handling of China on Thursday morning.

Mr Albanese said at the Sky News-The Courier Mail’s People’s Forum on Wednesday night that the decision to send a “juniorburger” rather than a senior member of the Morrison cabinet was a mistake.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mr Albanese said the Coalition had damaged relations with its Pacific neighbours in part because of a video from 2015 that showed then Immigration Minister Petter Dutton joking about climate change.

Mr Dutton was speaking with then Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Mr Morrison, who was Social Services Minister at the time, when an overhead microphone picked up the conversation.

Mr Abbott had just returned from talked in Papua New Guinea when the subject of the time difference came up.

Mr Dutton quipped: “Time doesn’t mean anything when you’re about to have water lapping at your door.”

Mr Albanese on Thursday said it was a moment Australia’s neighbours have not forgotten.

“They’ve all seen the video of (the PM) talking about how funny it is that countries are going to go under water,” Mr Albanese told reporters.

“They’ve all seen it. And these are the people in that video, Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton, who are negotiating with the Pacific.

“How do you think they feel?”

Mr Albanese told the Sky News / The Courier-Mail People’s Forum that Scott Morrison sent a “juniorburger” to talk to the Solomon Islands. Picture: Jason Edwards

He said the Morrison Government had failed to properly engage with the Solomon Islands over its dealings with China.

“This government has gone missing, they had enough notice to engage and do something about this. China is more aggressive. China is more forward leaning. We all accept that. The difference is, how do you respond to it?

“Do you respond to it by trying to play domestic politics? Or do you respond to it in a strategic way, in a strategic way that makes a difference?”

He said Beijing will “be problematic regardless of who’s in government because the stance of Beijing has changed”.

“I’ve said that repeatedly. But my philosophy, my philosophy and openness is consistent with the (US President Joe Biden’s administration).

“We have to recognise what’s happening in the region. We have to recognise that China is … seeking to increase the influence in the region, and we need to respond to that.

Australia’s former foreign minister Julie Bishop said earlier this week she thinks her successor should be on the next plane to the Solomon Islands to discuss the Pacific nation’s “disturbing” deal with China.

A historic security pact was signed between the Solomon Islands and China.

“It’s the great power competition between the United States and China playing out in a region. The Solomon Islands is really close to Australia,” she said.

“We are their largest donor of foreign aid. The relationship between our two governments has always been very close.

“Solomon Islands has been a great friend of the United States and now it appears that it has turned its attention elsewhere and has signed a security pact with China.

“While we don’t have all the details, this could well mean there would be Chinese military bases on Solomon Islands and that really changes the dynamic and environment in our area in our region.”

Mr Morrison said it was not his job to tell Pacific neighbours how to manage their own relationships.

“You know, we’re siblings, they’re not children and adults in that relationship,” he said.

“We treat the Pacific family as siblings and as family and our view is very much that you don’t go around stomping around telling leaders in Pacific Islands what they should and shouldn’t do.”

Originally published as Anthony Albanese slams Scott Morrison over handling of China