Speaking on ABC-TV’s Insiders program yesterday, Julie Bishop criticised Carr for producing a book that she says may undermine relations with Australia’s regional and strategic neighbours.
“If they knew that Bob Carr was surreptitiously keeping notes and he’s going to write a self-serving account of the conversation from his point of view, well, they might have chosen their words differently. They might have done things differently,” Ms Bishop said.
“I think it’s unfortunate. From what I’ve heard, he will be breaching confidences. Not just what he had for lunch with the director of the CIA, but more detail than that.”
Mr Carr today defended the book, to be published later this week, telling ABC radio that it would help educate Australians about the way this country deals with foreign governments.
“I pointed out to her when [Ms Bishop] phoned me on Saturday, that every US Secretary of State has written a memoir,” Mr Carr said. “I think the Australian people are entitled to know how foreign policy is made, how it’s fought over, the advice that comes up from a department, the discussions in a cabinet room, the relationship between a foreign minister and his colleagues. The Australian people are entitled to know these things.”
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