TRANSCRIPT: PARLIAMENTARY FRIENDS OF SOIL DOORSTOP, 3 December 2020

8:06AM

E&OE

Subjects: Parliamentary Friends of Soil, Trade Relations with China;

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well, I've just been at a function for the Parliamentary Friends for Soil and this is so important because we've announced a new national award to honour the legacy of Major General Michael Jeffery, the first National Soils Advocate for Australia. His work is being followed on by Penny Wensley, no stranger to many Australians of course, a former Queensland Governor. Now, Michael Jeffery continues to be – even though he's very ill – a passionate advocate for soils, as are we. This Saturday, of course is World Soils Day. You look after your soils, you look after the biodiversity, you look after the regeneration, you look after your nation. It's not just important for farmers, it's important for all Australians and that's why – being the son of a farmer, my late father, Lance, was passionate about the soils and passionate about making sure that we protected the health of our soils. I know that Linda Burney, the co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Soil, is also a great advocate for soils and of course, she's a Wiradjuri woman. Aboriginal people have looked after the land for tens of thousands of years. So, it's great to be at this function. Great to be with Penny Wensley, the National Farmers Federation and so many others, celebrating all that is good about soils. And all that is good about making sure that we take care of our land and protect the environment.

JOURNALIST

Just in terms of Australia's exports, do you believe that we are too reliant on China as our export market?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

China and Australia have always had a great relationship with trade and more trade equals more jobs. And we will work through this situation. Yes, there are always difficulties, sometimes, with our trading partners, there always these sorts of things, which sometimes go a little astray. But rest assured, we are working very hard diplomatically. Making sure that we make the right announcements. Making sure that we talk to the right people as far as getting our trade back on track with China. It is difficult, there is no question but we need to sort this out. We need to resolve it because we've got 149.6 billion reasons why we need to continue to trade with China. But, we will also diversify our trade. We will also look at other trading partners and we're doing that. We've signed many, many Free Trade Agreements. Of course, we've got the RCEP agreement that we've signed recently, agreed to recently. Negotiations with Indonesia – signed recently, those bilateral ties. And of course, the Trans-Pacific Partnership 11, a $13.3 trillion opportunity not just for our farmers, but small businesses and services as well. That's what Australia does, we’re a trading nation, our trade is not just about China, it's about so many other countries as well. Yes, as I say, sometimes there are these hiccups in trading negotiations with nations, but we will continue to work through it because we've got the best produce, we've got the world's cleanest, greenest and best food and vegetables and of course, resources. We've got the best resources, the best coal, the best iron ore and we'll continue to make sure that we do everything we can to negotiate trade arrangements, not only with China but with the rest of the world.

JOURNALIST

But how do you resolve this, to be fair, this has been going on for some time, it doesn't look like there's any resolution in the pipeline. You know, jobs are already on the line at the moment. Can you see an end to this?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

We’ll work through it in a practical, pragmatic and patient way, as we always do.

JOURNALIST

What do you say to farmers though that are already struggling as a result of these trade tensions, though?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Stick true to what you're very good at, continue to produce the best wine, the best barley, grain, sheep meat, beef, continue to do that. We'll find markets for you. We will diversify if need be. We'll work with China as we always have done in a diplomatic, sensible and solid way.

JOURNALIST

But they cannot sell their produce at the moment, so it is all well and good to say, “Produce good wine, grow good barley,” but…

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well, I say to Australians too, this Christmas, make sure you drink Australian wine, make sure that you eat Australian produce, make sure that you buy Australian first. But we will look at other markets. We will of course, diversify our trade as best we can and that's what we are doing. That's what we are doing, whether it's Europe, whether it's the UK, whether it's indeed other Asian markets. We're doing that, I know the Prime Minister is very committed to making sure that we've got the best trade options. Yes, it is difficult because a lot of trade – in fact, an incredible amount of trade – goes to China and these are difficult times but we will work through it as we always do and we'll find a resolution as we always will. Thank you so much.

ENDS 8:11AM

Shane Manning