Premier Daniel Andrews riles federal government, while Bob Carr riles Labor MPs

VICTORIAN Premier Daniel Andrews has infuriated the federal government by launching an unprompted attack on its handling of Australia’s relationship with China.

PREMIER Daniel Andrews has infuriated the federal government with an unprompted attack on its handling of the relationship with China.

And tensions are boiling over in federal ALP ranks after pro-China ex-foreign minister Bob Carr asked Labor senators to grill government officials about a prime ministerial adviser on Chinese interference.

Mr Andrews, who left on his annual trip to China on Tuesday night, said the relationship “at a national level is not very good at the moment”. Accusing government MPs of making “some very unfortunate comments”, he urged them to “take a different tone” to emphasis “mutual benefit” and “respect”, telling the ABC: “I don’t think we’re travelling particularly well over there at the moment.”

VICTORIAN PREMIER SAYS CHINA RELATIONS ‘NOT VERY GOOD’

LABOR PARTY DEVELOPER VISITS CHINA WITH DANIEL ANDREWS

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the relationship with China ‘at a national level is not very good at the moment’. Picture: AAP

A senior government source called the remarks “extraordinary” and “ridiculous”.

And federal Labor MPs have hit out at Mr Carr after revelations he asked Kristina Keneally, who replaced Sam Dastyari in the Senate following a storm over Mr Dastyari’s China links, to ask questions about adviser John Garnaut in parliamentary hearings.

Mr Garnaut wrote a top-secret report for the PM on the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to interfere in the political system, prompting a government crackdown on such foreign interference. He is now working as a consultant for the government.

Former foreign minister Bob Carr. Picture: Getty Images

Mr Carr is the director of the Australia-China Relations Institute, set up with a $1.8 million donation from billionaire businessman Huang Xiangmo, whose relationship with Mr Dastyari helped end the latter’s parliamentary career.

Senator Keneally ultimately asked Labor colleague Kimberley Kitching to pose the questions.

But Senator Kitching said last night: “I don’t know Bob Carr. I have never met Bob Carr. I have never had any form of communication with Bob Carr and I don’t plan to.”

Labor MP Michael Danby said Mr Carr’s “false-flag intervention gives chutzpah a new meaning”.

“Bob Carr is a pro-Beijing extremist paid (by a) pro-Beijing think tank.”

Mr Carr said of Mr Garnaut: “Fuelling a campaign against a friendly foreign country is incompatible with an advisory and speechwriting role on the Prime Minister’s staff.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said Australia must “uphold its principles” in managing its relationship with Beijing, even though it would “inevitably lead to differences from time to time”.

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