Penny Wong preference dig ‘puts reputation at risk’

China expert says Penny Wong’s remarks could reinforce old notions of racial prejudice.

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong risks ­diminishing Australia’s reputation by linking the ­Coalition’s preferencing arrangements with minor parties like One Nation and Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party to the White Australia policy, foreign affairs experts say.

US Studies Centre professor and China expert John Lee said Senator Wong’s remarks were likely to reinforce rather than dispel old notions of Australian racial prejudice.

“By raising that connection, that increases the chances that other foreign capitals will look at Australian foreign policy as discriminatory, and that’s unfair,’’ said Professor Lee, who was the senior adviser to former foreign minister Julie Bishop between 2016-2018.

“When I travel around the ­region, the rise of these minor parties are not issues politicians or elites tend to bring up.’’

In a speech to the Lowy Institute on Wednesday, Senator Wong said the global order was being transformed by “structural, economic, and strategic dynamics … We see these trends in Australia with the rise of right-wing fringe groups like One Nation, Fraser Anning and Clive Palmer’s UAP — and in the failure of some of our political leaders, including the ­current Prime Minister, to take a clear and unambiguous stand against the politics of prejudice and division.’’

She said “through his preference deal with Clive Palmer and his refusal to ensure One Nation is preferenced last by all members of his government, Scott Morrison is supporting political figures who promote fear and division”.

 

Senator Wong said such views “hark back to the White Australia policy’’.

“(This is) harming the perception of our nation in the region,’’ she said. “This is beneath the standards we should expect from any prime minister.’’

Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Peter Jennings dismissed the link as a “tactical’’ remark made in the context of an election campaign.

“All parties are required by law to work out their preferences and I don’t think that’s something that’s going to garner much interest or attention around the world,’’ Mr Jennings told The Australian.

“What regional governments will pay attention to is which party is elected.’’

Senator Wong said a Labor victory would bring a more “considered’’ approach to the China relationship, as well as a renewed focus on Southeast Asian and ­Pacific diplomacy.

“Labor’s approach to foreign policy will bring a more considered, disciplined and consistent approach to the management of Australia’s relationship with China,’’ she said. “That is not to say it will be easy or straightforward. Indeed, I have said before that the relationship may become harder to manage in the future.’’

Senator Wong offered few specifics but said Australia must not “pre-emptively frame China only as a threat’’, although she ­acknowledged its non-democratic nature would at times complicate the relationship.

“Differences between our systems and our values will inevitably affect the nature of our inter­actions,’’ she said.

Dr Jennings welcomed that ­approach, saying that for too long the strategic community and the trade and diplomatic community had been at odds with each other.

“One of the challenges is to bring those two sides of the discussion together because it’s really only around the cabinet table that those divisions play out.”