Login
iscover
The Albanese government has indicated Australia would join the German-led “Climate Club” during the Prime Minister’s trip to Europe, while also examining opportunities for an Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement.
To continue reading the rest of this article, please log in.
Create free account to get unlimited news articles and more!
The Climate Club includes “high ambition countries” as well as the G7 to promote global action on climate change.
The Prime Minister’s Office explained that climate action would form the core of the relationship between the two nations, detailing the Commonwealth’s objective of becoming a renewable energy hub and strengthening supply chains for critical minerals and clean hydrogen.
The club was established in late 2022 following a meeting between the heads of state and government of the G7.
Germany’s Federal Chancellor Olar Scholz explained the club’s primary focus would be on the “decarbonisation of industry” through joint standards, methodologies, and strategies.
“Australia and Germany have never been closer and I have been honoured to visit Berlin and to meet with Chancellor Scholz today,” Prime Minister Albanese said.
“We discussed ways to draw our countries even more closely together, with a focus on trade, clean energy, defence, and regional security.
“Australia and Germany are forging ahead and seizing the exciting opportunities of clean energy transition while delivering new jobs and export opportunities for both countries.
“We have also made a significant step forward on defence cooperation, which will support jobs and industry in Australia.”
The meeting also examined opportunities for a prospective Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement, which has received scrutiny from the National Farmers’ Federation over concerns the agreement would result in a “backwards” step for Australia’s commercial relationship with the European Union.
Concerns were raised following the recent New Zealand-EU Free Trade Agreement which is believed to make New Zealand products more expensive.
“While we appreciate the years of hard work that has brought us to this point, and it would be a shame to see that wasted — we are better to walk away than to agree a dud deal,” Tony Mahar, chief executive of the National Farmers’ Federation said in a statement.
“We’ve made that point clearly to Minister Farrell here in Brussels. We’ve said to walk away from any deal that doesn’t make good business sense. We’d rather this take a few extra months if necessary.
“I’m also talking to colleagues here about the European Commission’s deforestation laws — which, read together with a sub-optimal FTA, could be a significant step backwards for our trade relationship.”
Deepening Australian-Germany security relationships
The deepening economic and climate relations between Australia and the European Union has emerged amid deepening national security cooperation between Australia and Germany.
Earlier in the week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the two nations had signed an “in-principle” agreement for the delivery of 100 Brisbane-made Boxer heavy weapon carrier vehicles to the German Bundeswehr.
Speaking ahead of the signing in Germany, the Prime Minister explained the deal “will be one of our largest ever exports” and will be built out of Rheinmetall’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence in Queensland’s Redbank.
The agreement is expected to support 1,000 jobs and generate over $1 billion for the Australian economy.
The Prime Minister has also upped Australia’s support for Ukraine while visiting the nation.
During the trip, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Defence Minister Richard Marles, and Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed that Australia will deploy a Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail aircraft to Germany to help protect a vital gateway of international humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine.
This six-month deployment includes up to 100 crew and support personnel and will provide critical intelligence, surveillance and airborne early warning, and command and control, integrating alongside partners including the United States.
ADF personnel or assets will not enter Ukraine throughout this deployment and the aircraft will not be involved in the current conflict in Ukraine.
