SENATOR PENNY WONG
LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY IN THE SENATE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
LABOR SENATOR FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA
 
MADELEINE KING MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR TRADE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR RESOURCES
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR BRAND

The costs of Scott Morrison’s diplomatic failures on AUKUS keep rising, with the EU now suspending free trade agreement talks – putting Australian exporters and jobs in jeopardy, right when Australia needs urgent trade diversification.

In racing to make the AUKUS announcement, it is clear that Scott Morrison failed to do the diplomatic leg work required to manage the relationship with our French partners.

As a consequence, Trade Minister Dan Tehan had already been refused a meeting with his French counterpart and has now been iced out of talks with the Europeans – embarrassingly while mid-flight to Brussels.

Mr Morrison’s idea of diplomacy was a text message to President Macron dumping the $90 billion future submarines program hours before announcing it publicly.

“Mr Turnbull was right when he called Mr Morrison’s treatment of the French, clumsy, deceitful and costly,” said Senator Penny Wong.

“The cost of his failures is quickly becoming clear, and Mr Morrison now has his work cut out for him if he wants to rebuild trust with our European partners.”

“The European Union is our second-largest trading partner – our exporters need a government that delivers new market access and expanded opportunities to do business and support Australian jobs,” said Madeleine King.

“Scott Morrison loves making announcements, but never stops to think about the wider impacts.”
 
FRIDAY, 1 OCTOBER 2021