OOOHHHHHHHH now we get Cranky Richard Marles, with this question, which is like watching an old Labrador get annoyed someone moved its food bowl.

Angus Taylor asks:

Deputy Prime Minister the Coalition is deeply committed to the Australia – US relations. Between Sunday and this morning the DPMs office has provided two conflicting statements about the nature and formality of this week’s meeting with the Defense Secretary. There have been three different explanations about the nature and extent of the meeting.

Was this a meeting with the Secretary or just a photo opportunity and was there any outcome beyond the photo?

Marles:

I genuinely do appreciate the question from the Member opposite and Congressman Smith, welcome to Question Time. You are in for a treat. The question we have just heard – question we just heard from the Shadow Minister, is just another example of how the Liberal Party, a party who actually has a proud history of governing this country, is today completely broken.

Now, the Pentagon itself has made clear – that there was a meeting between myself and Secretary Hegseth, the Pentagon itself has made it clear that that meeting was coordinated and advanced off what we have heard through the course of this week as those opposite firstly suggesting it was not going to be a meeting at all, then a little bit of a debate about whether it’s a meeting or whether it’s a happenstance, presumably those opposite think the photos have been published or magically generated by AI.

Those opposite are a joke. Mr Speaker the Shadow Minister in the question he just framed the alliance between Australia and the United States as a matter of bipartisan support. It has been the case that the parties of Government in this country, had actually irrespective of whether they are in opposition or in Government, have supported the nation and its relationship with the US.

Taylor tries to puff up his chest with a point of order, which is like watching one of the frilled neck lizard run around the desert with no thought of direction.

Milton Dick tells him to shush.

Marles and his brown shoes are very pleased:

The relationship between Australia and the United States should be above partisan politics. Partisans in this country, whether they have bending government or opposition, have come to this place wanting whoever is government to succeed in our relationship with the States. That is only the spirit we brought about when we were in opposition. Right now those opposite are desperately hoping the nation fails in its relationship with the United States and that is a disgrace. The fact of the matter areas those opposite should grow up and return to the place which has been occupied by the Liberal Party in the past and to support the alliance of the United States and do so in a bipartisan way.