Senator VANSTONE (Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs) (1:58 PM) —Thank you for the question. It is a difficult balance. We all understand, especially those of us who have been on the other side of the chamber, that the parliament’s job as a whole is to keep a check on the executive. That does not mean it is the parliament’s role to become the executive. In international dealings, it is sovereign state to sovereign state. It is sometimes difficult to accept that the parliament is not there to be the executive; it is there to keep a check on the executive. Senator Brown asked whether the government would table the memorandum. I will take that on notice and give it to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Progress reported.