Anthony Albanese Minister Don Farrell makes a shock call about which country is really Australia’s closest ally – and it’s NOT the United States
A senior minister in Anthony Albanese’s government has been criticized for saying the US is not Australia’s most trusted security partner.
“I’m not sure the United States is our most trusted ally,” Commerce Minister Don Farrell said Monday in response to a question from Liberal Senator Claire Chandler.
“I would have said our closest international ally is New Zealand,” he said when speaking about the administration’s decision to restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Gaza, despite US President Joe Biden hasn’t done that.
When Mr Farrell’s response was met with laughter from senators from the Liberal and National parties, he added: ‘we are very close to the United States. I admit that openly.’
Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham said: “It beggars belief that a minister in the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio would be so keen to discuss Australia’s partnership with the US.”
A senior minister in Anthony Albanese’s government has been criticized for saying the US is not Australia’s most trusted security partner. Mr Albanese is pictured with his partner Jodie Haydon
Labor Senator Don Farrell said: ‘We are very close to the United States. I admit that openly.’ The photo shows US President Joe Biden
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Labor MP Andrew Charlton (pictured with his lawyer wife Phoebe Arcus) has bought a $12 million holiday home
Mr Birmingham, the opposition foreign affairs spokesman, pointed out that Mr Albanese had described the US as Australia’s “close ally” and “key strategic partner”.
“Senator Farrell’s statement is something I would expect from the Greens rather than from a senior minister,” he said.
“As much as we love our Kiwi cousins, it is the US we are asking to share their most sensitive defense technologies with us.
“Senator Farrell must set the record straight and apologize to the US for his errant and disturbing comments.”
Mr Farrell appeared to be stung by the ferocity of the reaction to his statement and later released a statement saying Mr Birmingham was “just playing juvenile political games”.
“Everyone knows the Kiwis are family,” he said.
“Everyone also knows that (the) United States is our closest ally, trusted strategic partner and largest mutual investment partner.”
But Mr Birmingham continued his attack on Tuesday morning, telling ABC radio he was surprised Mr Farrell was “wanting to rush so quickly when a phrase was used (by the Opposition) about the United States being our most trusted ally, to to try to talk that down’.
He said that under the Five Eyes arrangement (Australia, Canada, NZ, UK, US), the United States shares its most sensitive intelligence with Australia.
Mr Farrell (pictured) appeared stung by the brutality of the response to his statement and later released a statement saying Mr Birmingham was “just playing juvenile political games”.
“In the AUKUS partnership, we expect the United States to share its most sensitive defense assets with us.”
Mr Birmingham said Australia has “great confidence” in the US and expects the country to place confidence in Australia in return.
“I would have thought it was nothing but clear in terms of the US as our most trusted partner because that is the relationship we expect for our defense and security interests,” he said.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Farrell for further comment.