Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday, speaking about the US election, the Minister for Foreign Affairs said:

I do not expect there to be any change to the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement. It has not been mentioned.

Is the Prime Minister aware that Donald Trump's campaign has actually committed to renegotiating all US free trade agreements? What preparation has the government undertaken in relation to our own free trade agreement with the US and was it raised in your phone call today?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. Like the foreign minister, I do not anticipate any changes to the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement, which has now some considerable tenure, 10 years old indeed. In the discussion with President-elect Trump, we dealt largely with strategic matters that I have mentioned. We did discuss the TPP. We did not discuss the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement and, as I said, like the foreign minister, I do not anticipate any changes being sought to that agreement. It is one that is manifestly in the interests of both countries.

The important thing for all honourable members to remember is, as I said earlier today, the relationship between our two nations is based on our enduring national interests and that is what drives so many of our arrangements. Our ANZUS Treaty, our alliance are driven by enduring national interests and they will be the guide for the upcoming Trump administration just as they have been for the Obama administration and its many predecessors.