Liberal Party Senator Helen Coonan writes:
H/T: Australian ConservativeShadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate
Reports that regional nations are underwhelmed by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s plan for an Asia-Pacific European Union style forum confirms the plan’s lack of forethought and prior consultation, Opposition Foreign Affairs spokesperson Helen Coonan said this morning.
“Mr Woolcott, who was asked to embark on the project as special envoy just a few hours before Mr Rudd’s announcement, has now unsurprisingly found that over half of APEC and East Asia Summit member nations simply do not agree with the need for such an overarching organisation.
“There appears to be a general consensus among neighbouring foreign leaders that an expansion of already existing regional groups would be far more effective and involve less bureaucratic effort.
“Mr Rudd consulted virtually no-one while formulating his plan for an Asia-Pacific Community and the case for yet another regional grouping has not been established,” Senator Coonan said.
“It was another case of ‘Mr Rudd-knows-best’ involving no talks with either the already stretched Department of Foreign Affairs or with other foreign leaders prior to its announcement.
“This proposal has been offset with $549,000.
“This plan of Mr Rudd’s was a clear case of policy on the run from the start, and the Prime Minister should now admit this and drop the idea, saving time and money for the Department and for Mr Woolcott,” Senator Coonan said.
“Mr Rudd needs to stop risking our reputation as a co-operative, constructive partner within the Asia-Pacific region, with activities our counterparts see as knee-jerk initiatives that deliver no discernable benefit.”
Not so fast with the celebrations Ms Coonan, Chairman Rudd is a true believer in regionalism (and then globalism). So don't think for one minute any of this will stop Rudd from opening up our borders to Asia. He believes Asia must be shown the way. If we open up, they will do the same. That's his suicidal belief.
