Both the threat posed on our own borders but also whats happening around politicians are debating on what citizensken to protect at home and abroad. Senator wong. Thank you, mr. President. Since senator last had to ask ministers question, there have been further horrific terror attacks around the world. These include attacks in manchester, london, kabul. The government is working to assist australians impacted by these attacks. Thank you very much indeed, senator wong, for a very timely and important question. And of course im sure i speak on behalf of all members of this chamber in expressing our horror and outrage at the terrorist attacks that have occurred since the senate last met and in particular our grief at the news that australians have been among the victims both here in melbourne last week and overseas. It is a reminder to us that this is not a problem that exists on the other side of the world. Its not a problem that is not our problem. It is a problem that reaches out both in a familiar and hospitable city like london or in our own suburban streets to threaten and take the lives of australians. Now, senator wong, i want to thank you and the Australian Labor party for the spirit of cooperation that you have shown over the past several years in supporting the government in passing the eight tranches of legislation of which we have built, which have been designed to make australians safe. And the point i would make to the senate is this, in none of those cases have we been reactive. In none of those cases have we been in the position after terror attack saying we have to rewrite our legislation. We have anticipated the need so as to avoid it, and as a result we have saved australian lives. With the work of this chamber, the work of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on intelligence and security, we have achieved that together. Senator, brandon. Senator wong. Thank you, mr. President and thank the leader for his remarks and also could he advance on how the government are working with our partners specifically with these attacks . Thank you, senator wong. We of course have a very Close Partnership at every level with nations and other nations as well to confront and defeat this common enemy. Our most intimate partnership is with the like minded englishspeaking democracies who meet in the five eyes community. There have been very close Cooperation Among the five eyes and countries, in particular in relation to the u. K. At an agency level. I will tell you, though i cant go into the details that theyve been directly engaged in inisting in my five assisting mi5 and the u. K. Police in the investigation of the events that occurred at manchester and at london bridge. Thank you, mr. President. Turning now to our region, can the minister outline the steps being taken to ensure regional stability and Regional Security attorney general. Thank you, senator wong. Weve worked very closely with regional neighbors. In december 2015, australia and indonesia held the first australia and indonesia Regional Council on law in jakarta. And that Regional Council has met on three occasions thus far. Most recently in jakarta earlier in the year and will meet again at a venue to be announced in australia in the second half of this year. Now, agencies work with indonesian agencies in a close and collaborative way. But our cooperation doesnt merely extend to indonesia. This is a regional problem, and we work with regional neighbors. I recently spoke with the deputy Prime Minister of malaysia and discussed the matter with him as i did with the singaporean who visited australia recently. Another issue dominating debate during the session has been political donations, particularly those from foreign sources. Theres been great concern here theres been great concern here about some politicians drawing too close to chinese donors. Thank you, mr. President. My question is to the leader of the government, senator brandis. Our third recent reports that on the day china signed off on the agreement senator, was this conflict of interest raised to cabinet before or after the cabinets deliberations over the china freetrade agreement . And if not, doesnt this just reinforce the case for a National Anticorruption watchdog . The attorney general rechting representing the Prime Minister, senator brandis. Pity, he doesnt need any coaching from your. Coaching from you. Sorry, that was off the record. [laughter] senator, you should know better to ask about cabinet deliberations. The deliberations of cabinet are never the appropriate subject of a question because they may not be the subject of an answer. You know that, senator. Now, i have im aware of these reports. Im not aware of whether they are accurate reports or not. Im merely aware of the allegation. But i can tell you, senator, knowing mr. Rob as i do and having worked with him as a colleague and knowing him as a friend for many years, i regard mr. Andrew rob as a person of greatest integrity, who has now left politics and is pursuing a career in the private sector as he is perfectly entitled to do. And i dare say, if mr. Rob hasnt given the prime years of his career of Public Service in the parliament, he would be a very wealthy man, but hes not because he gave a period of , Public Service for over a decade. Now, senator denutally, the governments position is very clear. Following the match report of the joint Standing Committee of electoral matters into the topic, the Prime Minister announced that the government would move to ban foreign political donations. And that a matter that senator ron, the special minister of state and i have under review at the very moment. And the Commission Means more broadly to look at the law concerning foreign interference to see where that can be reformed. Thank you. The time to answer the question has expired. Atully . Dan thank you, mr. President. What actions did minister rob undertake to facilitate the Foreign Investment review board approval that allows control over the port of darwin to the Language Group . Attorney general. Let me correct a fact that you assert wrongly, senator. Mr. Rob Left Parliament in the 9th of may, 2016. As a retiring member of parliament, he ceased to be a member of parliament in the 2016 election. So let there be no confusion , deliberate or accidental, about the time at which mr. Rob ceased to be a member of parliament. Now, the Foreign Investment review board makes decisions independently. Its minister is the treasurer not the minister for trade and , development. So, im quite certain, senator, although i have no personal knowledge but id be quite concern because of the way in which these decisions are made, that mr. Rob would have had no involvement. Thank you. Sen. Di natale thank you, mr. President. Has the attorney general directed his own party to stop taking money from mr. Wang jang mo, and if not, how can the Parliament Trust the government decisionmaking was made in the china freetrade agreement in the port of darwin was made in the Public Interest and not corrupted by illegal donations . Attorney general. Senator di natale, as a member of the political executive, i do accept some obligation in relation to over sight, and i can assure you, senator, that all of the liberal party and im sure the same applies to our Coalition Party all of our obligations in relation to accountability and disclosure are acquitted and fulfilled entirely. Now that having been said point of order. Senator di natale. Di natale i want to remind the attorney general of the question. That wouldnt be my role in any event. But what is my role as the attorney general is to prosecute the policies of the government , and those policies include reinforcement of the legislation to ban foreign political donations. We will be doing that, and we expect your support. While some remain weary in australia about drawing too close to china, there remains solid about the relationship with the United States. This is our most important military alliance and the government has once again emphasized that here in parliament. Senator. Thank you, mr. President. My question is to the minister of defense, senator pain. Ne. Senator pai the minister update the senate with the relationship to the United States. Outlet to take this opportunity to briefly acknowledge the deep and longstanding interest of our colleague, senator beck has , today announced his retierm retirement from this place. And contributions. During the recent talks in sydney last week, we have of course affirmed our alliance with the United States is at the core of our defense and security arrangements. Australia, is of course responsible for our own security, our own prosperity. There is no higher task for government. But we are stronger when we work with our partners and our allies to address these challenges. The strength of our alliance with the United States is based on shared values, including our strong commitment to the security, stability, and prosperity of the indo pacific region. Our regional strategic environment is more uncertain than it has been in 75 years. These commitments and shared values were underscored during the meeting was withheld in sydney last week, but first under the u. S. Administration. It is our premier forum for discussing Strategic Issues as our recent meeting was very timely given the strategic environment in which we find ourselves in this region and more broadly. The meeting with foreign minister julie bishop, jim mattis, and secretary of state Rex Tillerson again underscored the strengths of our relationship as we continue our close collaboration across a range of key foreign defense issues. The secretary for defense and i also focused on addressing the rising threat of violent extremism in our region. Its an issue ive raised repeatedly shared by the secretary of defense since i was appointed in this role. Thank you. Your time to answer the question has expired. Senator . Thank you, mr. President. Will the minister update the we are working together to ensure Regional Security and stability . Minister. Sen. Payne thank you very much, mr. President. Indeed, we are focused on measures to address violent extremists as i diverted to in my answer. But we are making a significant contribution to Regional Security. During this consultation, the secretary and i affirmed our joint commitment to fully implement the initiative in northern australia. It is a very valuable opportunity, mr. , to not only improve the capability of our own forces but also to improve our ability to respond to regional crises and deepen our defense engagement with regional ministries. Well conduct approximately ten major exercise in that context engage a range of our regional neighbors. In 2017, weve also seen the commencement of the enhanced air Cooperation Initiative which will further increase our air cooperation outofthe United States. Thank you. Your time to answer the question has expired. Supplementary question. You, mr. President. Mr. , could you increase the australias forces and those of the United States . Minister. Sen. Payne as allies we already , have a high level of operability that allows us to work seamlessly together in the middle east. And were committed to further strengthening our interoperability and our close collaboration on defense technology. Over the coming years, australia will continue to invest alongside the United States on platforms and equipment which will provide us with unparalleled cooperability in the years ahead. For example, to our shipbuilding submarine program, we Work Together seamlessly. Later this month, we will commence the landmark australia u. S. Exercise in central queensland. Over 30,000 troops, 35 ships and 150 aircraft all working together to increase that operability as required. The exercise platform is a very effective way of doing that. In this region, australia also has a very close relationship with japan. 14 points point in this relationship for many years has sore point ine this relationship for many years has been japanese whaling. My question is to the minister representing Foreign Affairs, senator brandis. Last friday, the parliament of japan unanimously passed a bill regarding the implementation of commercial whaling. Is the government aware of this bill, and if so, please adhave i please advise the senate if the government sees this as an escalation and what action are you taking in this regard . Order on my left. The attorney general representing the minister for Foreign Affairs, senator brandis. Sen. Brandis thank you very much indeed, mr. President. Thank you for that question. On june 16, japan passed a new domestic law affirming the japanese governments responsibility to support special permit or scientific research, in short, public funding for whaling research. That legislation makes it likely that scientific whaling, for the purpose of obtaining knowledge to implement commercial whaling. The new law also included measures to include security provided by the japanese fisheries during the whaling season in response to the antiwhaling activities of activists. In particular, sea shepherd. Im aware also, senator, of your observations that the japanese whaling is an assault on australias interest on marine life and our territorial interest on our pursuit of a rulesbased global order. Now, the government is concerned about the recent passage of that legislation in support of socalled scientific whaling. The Australian Government does not consider that japans whaling program is for the purposes of scientific research. Nor are we convinced the program is consistent with the 2014 principles of the international s 2014f justice decision or the International Convention for regulation of whale. The Australian Government will continue its efforts to promote whale conservation and uphold the global moratorium on commercial whaling. Thank you. Senator wilson supplementary , questions. Thank you, president. As noted by senator brandis, this whaling bill includes provisions giving the right for japanese Government Agencies to dispatch government vessels to prevent interference in whaling for organizations like the shepherd. Like sea shepherd. Attorney general. Well, senator, i think i dont have a brief on that particular issue. Ive told you that the government is disappointed with the law that was passed by the last week. In relation to the specific issue of the protection of the japanese whaling fleet as provided for as you say by the bill, ill audit some specific i will get some specific instructions from the minister for Foreign Affairs and get back to you. Thank you, minister. Thank you, master. Yesterday in senator paines statement on Maritime Security and our trilatical defense with the u. S. And japan, she says both these governments share our commitment to a rolebased order and strengthening our regional prosperity. Does the minister consider that thumbing your nose at the International Court of justice ruling that japanese whaling is , illegal, the commitment to a rulesbased order thank you, senator wilson. The time for asking the question has expired. Attorney general. Well, senator, i can emphatically confirm what the senator told the panel yesterday. The relationship between australia and japan is a very important relationship for us and for them. We are strategic partners. We have common interests. We are lifelined as democracies. We are important pals in the east asian region. And both governments are committed to a rulesbased global order. That is not to say, however, as senator wilson, that from time to time, friendly and likeminded governments, who share a commitment to roles based global order rule sbased global order will not , have differences. We do have a difference with the japanese government about whaling. We pont out to the japanese government firmly but civilly the position of the Australian Government. We contest the japanese governments position in international tribunals, including thank you. The time to answer the question has expired. For some years, in australia as we battle to get the budget under control one area thats been a target of , government cutbacks has been foreign aid. But the government insists it still is spending money where it counts, particularly in the region. Can the minister please advise the senate to have the to how the 2017 budget supports the australia over seas assistance program. Thank you. Can i thank senator reynolds for her question . We have not only stabilized the assistance in this 2017 budget, but we have actually increased it. We recognize we have to live within our means. And thats actually in contrast with the opposite, mr. President. You cranked up your overseas Development Assistance. Your spend first and then ask questions later approach. And in this budget our overseas Development Assistance will increase by 84 million to 3. 9 billion. There will be a further increase in next years budget to 4 billion. And then to deliver our Budget Surplus in 20202021, overseas assistance will stay at 4 billion for two years. Now, we