E&OE
SALLY SARA:
Well, the Opposition has largely backed the support measures announced by the Government for industries affected by the US tariffs. But Peter Dutton criticised Anthony Albanese for not securing a full exemption, calling him weak and missing in action. David Coleman is the Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister and joins me now. David Coleman, welcome back to Breakfast.
DAVID COLEMAN:
Good morning, Sally.
SALLY SARA:
Do you believe there would have been a different outcome for Australia yesterday had the Coalition been in office?
DAVID COLEMAN:
Look, I think the outcome is clearly not a good one for Australia and I think the Coalition can do much better, absolutely. Peter Dutton negotiated, was heavily involved in the negotiation of the AUKUS agreement, probably the biggest agreement ever between Australia and the United States. He negotiated arrangements with the Trump administration in relation to protecting children against online exploitation, cooperation on crime. So he’s got the runs on the board, he’s got the track record, he’s got the maturity, he’s got the strength, he’s got the experience. And in Anthony Albanese, we’ve got a Prime Minister, Sally, who made an explicit decision not to go to the United States to meet with the President. It’s very hard to understand how that is defensible. Plainly, the more engagement we can have, the better. It’s a crucial relationship. It’s our most important strategic relationship. And I think it’s clear that the Government could have done more, and I think it’s very clear that a Dutton-led Coalition will do better in the future.
SALLY SARA:
How?
DAVID COLEMAN:
Well, I think, as I said, the first thing you’ve got to do is front up. So if you don’t actually attempt to visit the President in the United States, that doesn’t send a good message. Secondly…
SALLY SARA:
You can’t make a visit like that unless you’re invited.
DAVID COLEMAN:
Well, the Prime Minister didn’t go, didn’t seek the opportunity to go, and we would. And Peter Dutton has said it would be the first…
SALLY SARA:
We can’t force the President to invite the Prime Minister.
DAVID COLEMAN:
Well, Peter Dutton has said the first visit he would make as leader of the country, as Prime Minister, is to the United States. And as I said, he’s got the record of actually achieving very significant things with the United States, with both Democratic and Republican administrations. The problem we’ve got with Anthony Albanese is he’s just all over the place. He lacks the horsepower, to be frank, to get significant things done. We’ve seen that in the three years that he’s been in office, in terms of the ineffectual response to the economic issues, the economic failure, and failure on so many other levels. And so you do need strength and you do experience, you do you need maturity. And Peter Dutton has those things and as Albanese he manifestly has failed.
SALLY SARA:
David Coleman, if we look at the situation of what unfolded yesterday, there were no countries with the exception of Russia that got exemptions. Is it really a serious statement to claim that Australia could have, without being able to point to exactly what you would have done differently?
DAVID COLEMAN:
Well Sally, I think it’s important to note that the primary problem here is the policy of the United States. The United States policy of introducing tariffs is a very bad thing for the global economy. We have to respond to that as best we could and we don’t think the Prime Minister did that and we think he could have been far more engaged. One of the issues that arises now, Sally, is this is going to have a significant impact on the economy. There’s no question. And therefore, economic management comes to the fore. Who is going to navigate Australia best through the uncertain economic times these tariffs are going to bring about? Now, objectively, the Government’s economic record is shocking. We’ve had seven consecutive quarters, we’ve had seven consecutive quarters Sally of negative growth per household. We’ve had the biggest decline in living standards in the OECD under this Government and its economic record is very poor. And the complexity of economic management is only greater now, given the impact that these tariffs are going to have. And it’s another reason why we need to change the Government.
SALLY SARA:
Yesterday Mr Dutton said that the Government should have leveraged the defence relationship with the US to get a better deal. What does that mean?
DAVID COLEMAN:
Well, look, obviously, defence is an important part of the United States relationship, and many people have made that point, myself, I’ve made it, Peter Dutton’s made it numerous times in the past as well. We want to increase defence cooperation with the United Stated. Labor’s taken $80 billion out of defence. We want to do more in defence, and obviously you don’t telegraph negotiations through the media, but we need to increase defence investment in Australia, and defence is a big part of our relationship going right back to the ANZUS Treaty and even earlier. But again you’ve got to front up, you’ve got to have the maturity, you’ve got to have the experience and that’s what Peter Dutton has.
SALLY SARA:
Let’s have a look at the issue of Gaza. There were significant developments in the Middle East this week. Israel has continued its strikes on Gaza and the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared an intention to seize territory in the strip and divide up the area. Does the Coalition support those actions?
DAVID COLEMAN:
Sally, what I would say is that the situation in Gaza is tragic, the loss of innocent life is an awful thing and the, as you know, the conflict commenced with Hamas’ mass murder of more than a thousand Israelis. Hamas deliberately places civilians next to military infrastructure, just an appalling and frankly sub-human form of behaviour and the loss of innocent life is tragic. But what should happen here, Sally, is Hamas should return the hostages. Hamas started this conflict and Hamas must return those hostages. I mean, Hamas is even killing Palestinians who protest against it, Sally. So that’s what we need to see and nobody wants to see a conflict, but what we have to see is Hamas return those hostages
SALLY SARA:
Do you stand by Peter Dutton’s assessment that Donald Trump is, quote, a man of big ideas when it comes to Gaza?
DAVID COLEMAN:
Oh, look, we obviously disagree with numerous things that the President has said in relation to Gaza. What we want to see is a two-state solution. That is the, where we need to get to, in the long term. We’ve maintained that position consistently. But obviously, Sally, we’re a long way away from a two-state solution when we have a terrorist organisation controlling Gaza and being involved in mass killings. So we’re a long way from a two-state solution, but that’s the Coalition’s policy of where we want to get to. But the very first step in what is clearly a significant journey to get there is Hamas returning all the hostages.
SALLY SARA:
Would the Coalition invite, would Mr Netanyahu be free to visit Australia under a Coalition Government?
DAVID COLEMAN:
We said previously, Sally, that we think the International Criminal Court exceeded its jurisdiction in relation to Mr Netanyahu. We would not arrest Mr Netanyahu were he to come to Australia. The Government, I’m sure you’re aware, Sally, refuses to say what it would do in that circumstance. But as we’ve said previously, we think that it exceeded its jurisdiction in that decision.
SALLY SARA:
If the Coalition forms Government, will you be the Foreign Affairs Minister?
DAVID COLEMAN:
Well, it’s up to Peter Dutton, Sally, and that’s the case with every portfolio. Certainly, my task is to be the Shadow Foreign Minister and there’s a lot to talk about. There’s lots of failings of this Government, whether it’s in the Middle East and so many other areas where the Government has let Australians down, and that what I’ll continue to do.
SALLY SARA:
David Coleman, thank you for your time on Breakfast this Morning.
DAVID COLEMAN:
Thanks, Sally.
SALLY SARA:
That’s David Coleman there, the Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister.
[Ends.]
The Hon. David Coleman MP
Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
Federal Member for Banks