Labor is deeply disappointed that the Australian Foreign Minister has been prepared to risk relations with our close friend and ally simply to distract attention from the government crisis caused by Barnabys Joyces failure to renounce his New Zealand citizenship.
In a disastrous news conference, Minister Bishop launched an extraordinary attack on both sides of politics in New Zealand.
Minister Bishop repeatedly refused to accept the word of New Zealands Internal Affairs Minister.
She then echoed John Howards disastrous attack on Barack Obama and the Democrats ahead of the 2008 US Presidential election, by repeatedly threatening not to work with a New Zealand Labour government, before storming out of her own press conference.
Australias long and enduring friendship with New Zealand deserves better than a cheap attack by a government under pressure, seeking to divert attention from its domestic political problems.
I would urge the Government to reflect on the wisdom of using the credibility of the Foreign Minister in this manner, and to move swiftly to repair relations with parties of government in New Zealand.