Here’s to a growing collaboration between the independent UK and Australia
We raise a glass of Aussie Shiraz to the UK-Aus trade deal, the AUKUS agreement, and more
Today (26 Jan 2024) is the official national day of Australia. It is an official public holiday in every Australian state and territory. We hope all our Aussie cousins can kick off their shoes and relax in the way only Aussies can. This is of course high summer in Australia.
We therefore celebrate with our Aussie cousins with a filmed video interview of our Chairman which was broadcast live from Sydney at 5am yesterday morning (UK time).
Given that most self-respecting Poms were still tucked up in their beds at that time, below is the recording which readers can watch on YouTube.
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If you don’t have time for the full interview here’s the Australians’ 45-second promo
The full interview covers a lot of ground and looks at the growing relationship between the newly-independent United Kingdom and Australia. It includes comments from three senior Parliamentarians who each sent messages via our Chairman, which he read out to the Australian audience live on air.
Here is what the politicians said
Former Secretary of State The Rt Hon Sir John Redwood MP
“A big win from Brexit has been letting the UK develop much closer links and more trade with Australia. We can develop freer trade and have trailblazed with defence and intelligence collaboration.”
– Sir John Redwood MP, commenting to Facts4EU.Org and CIBUK.Org, 25 Jan 2024
Former Brexit Minister The Rt Hon David Jones MP
“Australia and the UK have long-established shared values.
“The trade agreement and AUKUS are hugely positive and will help our two nations to spread those values across the world just at a time when other, less liberal, messages are being disseminated by malign international actors.
“Together, we will continue to be a powerful force for good.”
– David Jones MP, commenting to Facts4EU.Org and CIBUK.Org, 25 Jan 2024
Catherine, The Rt Hon Baroness Meyer CBE
“This historic, gold standard trade agreement will bring our countries ever closer together. It will boost trade, create new jobs, and facilitate the movement of qualified professionals between Australia and United Kingdom. It will also reduce costs for exporters and importers by eliminating most tariffs.
“Once again, this agreement highlights the advantages of our being an independent and sovereign nation. I look forward to raising glasses of Australian wines to celebrate this major achievement.”
– Baroness Meyer CBE, commenting to Facts4EU.Org and CIBUK.Org, 25 Jan 2024
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Observations
Goodness knows how the Australians ever forgave us, but they did. In 1973 without any Referendum the then Prime Minister, the late Ted Heath, took the UK into what was then known as the European Economic Community (EEC), forerunner to the EU. In doing so he abruptly cut off the traditional and substantial trade which both countries had enjoyed with each other.
Australian producers were suddenly faced with sourcing new markets, which they did, but the pain was severe for some time.
Now that the United Kingdom has secured its independence from the European Union (with the disgraceful exception of Northern Ireland), the UK has been able to sign a Free Trade Agreement with Australia. This is something the EU has yet to achieve after decades of negotiations.
The UK has also signed the AUKUS pact, including the US, for the provision of nuclear-powered submarines. This is the one that seriously annoyed President Macron of France, because it involved the Australians’ cancellation of a contract with France for its old-school diesel-powered submarines.
Today many companies in the UK and Australia are in talks about future trade and co-operation. As the Rt Hon David Jones MP put it: “Australia and the UK have long-established shared values.”
Today, on Australia Day, we toast our friends ‘Down Under’ on their special holiday.
CIBUK.Org would like to thank its affiliate Brexit Facts4EU.Org for their kind permission to re-publish this article.
Read the original article here
Main image: Montage © Facts4EU.Org 2024
