A senior minister has been accused of deploying “grubby and reckless” tactics over national security in order to smear the Labor Party.
But Simon Birmingham has hit back, insisting the inflammatory attacks are “fair game” in the context of the upcoming election.
Intelligence experts on Thursday repeated their call for the Coalition to tone down it’s language about China, warning the perception of a split on national security would only play into the hands of Beijing.
Under questioning in Senate estimates, Senator Birmingham said the Coalition was simply pointing out differences between itself and Labor.
“Why is your government trying to manufacture differences with the opposition … when it only plays into one country’s interests, and that is China?” Labor’s Kristina Keneally asked.
“I don’t accept that. Our government has simply responded to comments and statements made by your leader,” Senator Birmingham shot back.
His quick dismissal led to Labor senator Tim Ayres telling the minister he was being “grubby, reckless and shameless”.
“You utterly debase yourself, Minister. Absolutely shaxjmtzywmeful,” Senator Ayres said.
The ugly exchange caused Liberal committee chairman Eric Abetz to shut down the hearing so senators could cool off.
Labor was undeterred by the interruption, which led to another blow up after Senator Keneally interrogated the Prime Minister’s decision to label a Labor MP a “Manchurian candidate”.
A Manchurian candidate is a reference to a politician being used as a puppet by an enemy or power.
“I have seen elections fought on national security as a very key part of the debate between parties during those election campaigns,” Senator Birmingham said.
“When Australians go to vote, making the decision as to who is best placed to manage the safety and security of our nation is one of the key decisions that Australians have to make at that time.”
The estimates bust up followed a rare media interview from ASIO head Mike Burgess, who warned the politicisation of national security was unhelpful.
Mr Richardson, who is also a former boss of Australia’s Department of Defence, said he believed the Prime Minister would pivot back to bipartisanship on China if the Coalition was re-elected.
“The government is quite happy for you and I to be talking about this right now. It suits their political purposes,” he told the ABC.
“If it won the election, it would seek to pick up the pieces and put it back together after the election.”
