Former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has faced criticism after posing alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at a military parade in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. The parade marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
The photograph, distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, shows Andrews standing several rows behind the leaders. Chinese President Xi Jinping stands with Putin to his right and Kim to his left, with Xi's wife Peng Liyuan in between. Other leaders from Iran, Indonesia and several other countries also appear in the group photo.
Australia's shadow home affairs spokesperson, Andrew Hastie, described the event as a 'parade for dictators' and criticised the presence of Andrews and former NSW Premier Bob Carr, who was also in Beijing but chose not to attend. Opposition leader Sussan Ley said Andrews needed to explain his attendance.
Current Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan defended Andrews, stating that his presence highlighted the strong relationship between Victoria and China. 'These connections are so valuable for our state,' she said, adding that a trade mission later this month would build on this relationship.
However, former Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk called the visit a 'bridge too far', while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that Australia was sending a diplomat to the event, noting that ten years ago, a Liberal government minister attended the 70th anniversary parade.
Dr Jill Sheppard from the Australian National University suggested that having Andrews as a 'proxy representative' was beneficial for the Labor Party, allowing it to engage with China diplomatically without direct association with controversial leaders.
