There are more questions on the research vessel that might be a spy ship and ‘what is Australia doing to protect underwater cables’ so that’s a thing.

Albanese:

What we have done is we’re continuing to monitor it. We won’t – for obvious reasons – broadcast everything that we’re doing. But we’re keeping an eye on this as we do.

BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Albanese:

Australian Defence Force is monitoring what is happening. It’s going from New Zealand – we expect it to go around to China around way.

BUT DOES HE HAVE CONCERNS?

Albanese:

I would prefer that it wasn’t there. But we live in circumstances where, just as Australia has vessels in the South China Sea and vessels in the Taiwan Strait and a range of areas, this vessel is there. What our task is to do is to make sure that we represent Australia’s national interests. We do that each and every day. And I have every confidence – every confidence – in our Defence Force and our security agencies to do just that.