May 03, 2024
AUKUS-curious Peters doubles down on Carr slur
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has used parliamentary privilege to double down on comments former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr claims are defamatory.
Mr Carr spoke last month at a seminar on the $400 billion AUKUS nuclear submarine deal between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, which he says is the biggest ever transfer of wealth from Australia.
During question time yesterday Labour Foreign Affairs spokesperson David Parker asked Mr Peters whether he stood on his statement Mr Carr was a Chinese puppet.
“I refer to an article in the Australian Financial Review dated November 8, 2018 that anticipated my remarks. It says – ‘How Bob Carr became China’s pawn’. Perhaps (David Parker) with his extensive legal knowledge could explain the difference between a puppet and a pawn,” Mr Peters said.
Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins demanded Mr Peters be stood down as foreign minister for opening up the government to legal action over his “totally unacceptable” attack.
Former Prime Minister Helen Clark, who hosted the AUKUS seminar, also said the remarks were defamatory.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he had not spoken to Mr Peters about the slur.