Good evening.
I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay my respects to elders past and present.
My thanks to Duncan and the European Australian Business Council for the invitation to speak this evening.
It’s a pleasure to be here tonight among friends.
Great to see Ambassador Myroshnychenko here too, we just celebrated the birth of our 4th grandchild – of Ukrainian heritage.
All of you are friends who share my determination to bring Australia and nations of the European Union closer together.
The road to an historic free trade agreement between Australia and the EU has been a long one.
The deal what we concluded in March is a highly ambitious outcome that will deliver for all of our economies.
The agreement will deliver for our businesses and send a clear signal of our mutual commitment to open and transparent rules-based trade.
I thank Jason and the Council for its role in advancing our commercial interests and for giving a strong voice to its members.
I can assure you that voice has been heard, and continues to be heard.
Frankly, it’s been a welcome voice of reason at a time of uncertainty and great volatility in the global trade environment.
An environment that has seen some choose protectionism and tariffs over free and fair trade.
Our message remains clear and resolute.
Countries that close themselves off from the world or subvert the global rules of trade are not the countries that will succeed.
Success will only come to those that build strong partnerships, diversify their markets and remain active participants in the global economy.
Protectionism has consequences.
We have seen this around the world – acts of economic self-harm that result in higher prices for consumers and less opportunity for exporters.
The American consumers have made it clear what they think about tariffs and its impact on the cost of living.
Australia – together with our partners, like the EU – will continue to push back against this tide of protectionism and isolation.
Because trade creates jobs, attracts investment, drives productivity and strengthens economic resilience.
That means more markets, more customers, more sources of capital and more opportunities for Australian businesses.
Our job as a government is to help Australian businesses take their quality products and services to the world.
And to attract investment to fund projects here at home.
And this deal will do just that.
By concluding this agreement, in one fell swoop, we have doubled the number of countries with which we have a free trade agreement by opening up 27 new markets for Australia.
When the FTA with the EU enters into force, 88 percent of the value of Australia’s global trade will be covered by FTAs.
This network of FTAs is a national asset and the envy of the world.
These agreements give our businesses better access to many of the world’s fastest-growing and most valuable markets.
These agreements reduce barriers, lower costs and provide greater certainty for exporters and investors.
This government was elected on a promise to diversify our trade – and we have delivered.
Since its commencement in 2023, the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement has seen our exports to the UK more than double.
Our agreement with India has also got a lot of runs on the board, with our agricultural exports more than doubling since it entered into force in 2022.
I look forward to seeing the situation in the Middle East stabilize, so that the benefits of our landmark trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates – Australia’s first in the Middle East – can continue delivering major commercial dividends for our farmers and exporters.
Our commitment to trade diversification, to building new relationships, continues at pace.
Today, we are helping Australian exporters identify new opportunities, build capability and diversify their markets through our $55 million Accessing New Markets Initiative.
Through trade missions, market intelligence, business matching and unparalleled in-market expertise, the Government is helping Australian businesses expand into new markets and grow in existing ones.
This Initiative is all about government and industry working together to identify opportunities, remove barriers and deliver practical support.
And it is working.
In just over a year, through this Initiative we have helped more than 1000 exporters generate more than $200 million in export sales.
These are important results, and speak to the hard work of exporters, with support from Government through agencies such as Austrade.
When our agreement with the EU enters into force, 97.8 per cent of Australia’s goods exports to the EU will enter duty free.
That means better opportunities for Australian manufacturers, farmers, fishers and foresters, technology firms, and clean energy industries in one of the world’s largest markets.
It means lower costs, stronger competitiveness and greater certainty for exporters.
The agreement will also deliver better opportunities for Australian services providers to take their businesses to the EU, perhaps for the first time.
Australian businesses looking to European markets will see greater market access and face fewer regulatory burdens, not least across our education and tourism sectors.
And our innovators and researchers will be able to take advantage of the new Innovation Mobility Pathway.
The agreement will also support stronger two-way investment flows, giving businesses greater confidence to invest, expand and create jobs and level the playing field between Australia and the EU’s other preferential trade partners.
No sector will go backwards on current market access through this FTA and every sector goes forward.
This really is a great deal for Australia and a great deal for the European Union.
While negotiations are complete, there is more to do before the agreement enters into force.
Following signature, the agreement will be tabled in Parliament next year for scrutiny by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, or JSCOT.
This process includes the opportunity for stakeholders to make submissions and attend public hearings on the Agreement, so I would encourage you all to participate actively.
Your participation is important because, as I am sure you have seen, there are those who would see this deal collapse based on their ideological opposition to free and fair trade. And their own political ambition.
Fortunately, it is clear that this is not a settled view in any of the other parties of parliament and I implore you all to contact Senators and Members of Parliament to explain why Australia needs this agreement.
Because if it fails, there’s no second chance.
We cannot afford to miss this opportunity.
Friends, Australia has long been a great trading nation.
And the lesson from today’s global environment is not that we should trade less.
As Australia’s Trade Minister I have taken a clear-eyed view of my role.
More trade means more well-paid, secure jobs for Australians.
More trade means more small and medium sized businesses thriving as our world-class products find new markets.
More trade means cheaper inputs for Australian businesses and better prices at the checkout for Australian families.
And more trade means a stronger economy for every Australian.
That is why I have tirelessly and consistently pursued an agenda which will deliver more trade for Australia.
Because when Australian businesses succeed internationally, Australia succeeds.
Thank you.
