Méabh McMahon, Host: Trade and finance ministers from all across the globe are huddling in Paris today for the OECD's Annual Ministerial. For the view from the Australian Government on all the challenges facing the world today, we can cross now to Paris where we're joined by the Australian Trade and Tourism Minister, that's Don Farrell. Good morning, sir, great to have you with us on Europe Today.
Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell: Good to be talking with you, Méabh.
Méabh McMahon: So, look, you're in Paris today for these important talks. You seem to be edging closer and closer to Europe all the time. Is that because of the uncertainty of the US administration and the threats perhaps posed by China today?
Minister Farrell: Look, once we came to government four years ago, we had decided that because of problems that we've had in our trading relationships, and around the world, that we needed to diversify our trading relationships and not have all our eggs in the one basket, as they say. And so, over the last four years we have developed new trading relationships. The United Kingdom, for instance, we've signed a Free Trade Agreement with them. That's working really well, and our trade is up very, very significantly with the United Kingdom. With India, our trade is almost doubled since we reached a trade agreement. We reached an Agreement with the UAE, and again, that's been very successful. And now, most recently, the hardest of them all, was a Free Trade Agreement with the Europeans, but we signed that a few months ago in Sydney.
Méabh McMahon: You did indeed. It's always complicated, isn't it, when it comes to the European Union. But this all happens as well in a backdrop of potential prolonged instability in the Middle East, that potentially could push the global economy closer to recession. Tell us, what's your view here, especially bearing in mind that you're in Paris today at these talks and how this war is impacting the Australian economy?
Minister Farrell: Yeah, look, there's no doubt Méabh, that that will be a hot topic that we'll be discussing over the next few days. My job in particular, since this war began, was to ensure that Australia had enough fuel, whether it be petrol, diesel or airline fuel and fertiliser for our crops. So, I've been very focused on travelling around the world to ensure that we've got sufficient of all of those products. I've been in Singapore, I've been in China, I've been in Japan, and of course now I'm here in Paris. We want to ensure that, however long these troubles in the Middle East last, that we've got sufficient of all of those fuels to keep our industry going. It's very important for our farmers, very important for our miners.
Méabh McMahon: Very similar talks taking place in Brussels. And other talks that took place here in Brussels just last Friday, very urgent talks on how to deal with China. What would Australia's advice be here? How can Brussels learn from your example of dealing with Beijing?
Minister Farrell: Well, patience is a good first start with the Chinese. When I became the Trade Minister four years ago, we had $20 billion worth of trade impediments with China. Now you've got to put that in perspective. China is our largest trading partner, and at the time trade was worth about $330 billion in two-way trade between Australia and China. But we set about to stabilise our relationship. We had a very rocky relationship under the previous government, and to win back all of that trade, took us three years. We didn't get it fixed overnight, but by the end of our last term in government, we had resolved all of those trade impediments, and for most of the products that had been subject to those impediments, we are now actually selling more than before the impediments were imposed.
Méabh McMahon: Okay, pass that message on to EU leaders. They need some patience. Just finally, do you consider China your biggest military threat? And are you also focused on tech sovereignty, like the European Union is doing today by presenting a master plan?
Minister Farrell: We'd like to see peace in our region, Méabh, and when you look around the world, there's plenty of trouble spots around the world, whether it be the Middle East or in Europe. One of the things that we've been very focused on is, as a middle power in the region, is ensuring that we project our policies of a peaceful region. That's been very good for Australia in recent months, particularly with the troubles around the rest of the world. We've been able to continue pretty much uninterrupted, our trade relationships, and that's the way we'd like to keep it.
Méabh McMahon: Okay, Minister Don Farrell, thank you so much for joining us this morning live here on Euronews on Europe Today.
Minister Farrell: Thank you, Méabh.