Thursday, October 22, 2015

Australian senators grill Julie Bishop over red-faced Putin emoji


Daren Flores, jewocity.com; see also.

uncaptioned image from article

Senator Penny Wong questioned DFAT officials about Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's emojis.

“Does DFAT ever use emojis in diplomatic negotiations, diplomatic engagements?”

Senior public servants have been quizzed about Foreign Minister Julie Bishop’s portrayal of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a red angry-faced emoji.

The question was taken on notice, and shortly after the minister herself took to Twitter to offer Senator Wong a personal explanation in a “language Labor understands”.

The Abbott government axed the Australia Network – the ABC’s global broadcasting arm – in 2014.

For example, when asked if she was a cat or dog person, Ms Bishop replied by posting a cat.

‘To me it looks like an opportunity for the minister to do 11 profile stories about fashion diplomacy’.

Australia will have fashion events in New York, Paris, Istanbul, Jakarta and New Delhi to promote designers and labels.

We’ve heard of public diplomacy and chequebook diplomacy.

“It’s plainly not an expression of our relationship with Russian Federation”.

Senator Brandis later speculated that it could be a reference to ideology.

Senator Dastyari also inquired about Trade Minister Andrew Robb’s involvement in the fashion diplomacy project.

The grilling, spearheaded by Penny Wong, centred on an interview Ms Bishop gave Buzzfeed in February, during which she used only emoticons to answer political editor Mark Di Stefano’s questions.

The emjoi in question was published earlier this year by Buzzfeed, in what they said was the world’s first emoji-only interview.

When asked what she thought of the Russian President, Ms Bishop responded with a red-faced “angry” emoticon.

Senator Wong asked DFAT officials to explain the “diplomatic message” of the “red face”.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials were grilled by the pair over the meaning of a red angry face character used by the Deputy Leader to describe President Putin in an emoji-only online interview. “Is it meant to express something else?”

DFAT Secretary Peter Varghese said he was unaware of the article, an admission that surprised Senator Wong because the department was usually very careful about knowing everything its minister said.

As Attorney General George Brandis suggested “the nation hangs transfixed” by the line of questioning, Labor Senator Penny Wong suggested this was not particularly diplomatic.

She later said having met Mr Putin, she thought he would be “delighted” by her use of an angry emoji as he was a self-style “hard man”.

Bishop's fashion diplomacy under fire
AAP AAP
FTBA
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has been accused of using fashion diplomacy as a self-promotional tool.

Labor senator Sam Dastyari took issue with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade devoting public diplomacy funds to a hashtag #fashiondiplomacy initiative in the wake of the Australia Network's demise.

The Abbott government axed the Australia Network - the ABC's international broadcasting arm - in 2014.

Senator Dastyari accused Ms Bishop of using the project for self promotion.

"I'm opposed to an initiative that's about glorifying the foreign minister," he told a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Thursday.

"To me it looks like an opportunity for the minister to do 11 profile stories about fashion diplomacy."

Ms Bishop signed a memorandum of understanding between DFAT and the Australian Fashion Chamber at an Sydney event in September which attracted Australia's fashion elite.

Australia will have fashion events in New York, Paris, Istanbul, Jakarta and New Delhi to promote designers and labels.

Senator Dastyari asked officials whether fashion diplomacy was a better way of doing public diplomacy compared to the axed Australia Network.

Attorney-General George Brandis said it was a core function of DFAT to promote Australian industry, commerce, style and way of life.

Senator Brandis accused Senator Dastyari of ridiculing the Australian fashion industry with his "foolish line of questioning".

Senator Dastyari also inquired about Trade Minister Andrew Robb's involvement in the fashion diplomacy project.

DFAT officials had briefed him on the initiative but he was yet to participate in any of the events.


Bishop's fashion diplomacy under fire
AAP AAP
FTBA
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has been accused of using fashion diplomacy as a self-promotional tool.

Labor senator Sam Dastyari took issue with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade devoting public diplomacy funds to a hashtag #fashiondiplomacy initiative in the wake of the Australia Network's demise.

The Abbott government axed the Australia Network - the ABC's international broadcasting arm - in 2014.

Senator Dastyari accused Ms Bishop of using the project for self promotion.

"I'm opposed to an initiative that's about glorifying the foreign minister," he told a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Thursday.

"To me it looks like an opportunity for the minister to do 11 profile stories about fashion diplomacy."

Ms Bishop signed a memorandum of understanding between DFAT and the Australian Fashion Chamber at an Sydney event in September which attracted Australia's fashion elite.

Australia will have fashion events in New York, Paris, Istanbul, Jakarta and New Delhi to promote designers and labels.

Senator Dastyari asked officials whether fashion diplomacy was a better way of doing public diplomacy compared to the axed Australia Network.

Attorney-General George Brandis said it was a core function of DFAT to promote Australian industry, commerce, style and way of life.

Senator Brandis accused Senator Dastyari of ridiculing the Australian fashion industry with his "foolish line of questioning".

Senator Dastyari also inquired about Trade Minister Andrew Robb's involvement in the fashion diplomacy project.

DFAT officials had briefed him on the initiative but he was yet to participate in any of the events.

© AAP 2015

cy as a self-promotional tool.

Labor senator Sam Dastyari took issue with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade devoting public diplomacy funds to a hashtag #fashiondiplomacy initiative in the wake of the Australia Network's demise.

The Abbott government axed the Australia Network - the ABC's international broadcasting arm - in 2014.

Senator Dastyari accused Ms Bishop of using the project for self promotion.

"I'm opposed to an initiative that's about glorifying the foreign minister," he told a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Thursday.

"To me it looks like an opportunity for the minister to do 11 profile stories about fashion diplomacy."

Ms Bishop signed a memorandum of understanding between DFAT and the Australian Fashion Chamber at an Sydney event in September which attracted Australia's fashion elite.

Australia will have fashion events in New York, Paris, Istanbul, Jakarta and New Delhi to promote designers and labels.

Senator Dastyari asked officials whether fashion diplomacy was a better way of doing public diplomacy compared to the axed Australia Network.

Attorney-General George Brandis said it was a core function of DFAT to promote Australian industry, commerce, style and way of life.

Senator Brandis accused Senator Dastyari of ridiculing the Australian fashion industry with his "foolish line of questioning".

Senator Dastyari also inquired about Trade Minister Andrew Robb's involvement in the fashion diplomacy project.

DFAT officials had briefed him on the initiative but he was yet to participate in any of the events.







No comments: