Australia’s federal government will flex its constitutional muscle with new laws that will likely kill controversial arrangements made with Beijing by state and local governments, as well as universities.
Arrangements with Beijing-connected entities that will likely come under the microscope include the controversial Belt and Road Initiative in the state of Victoria; Confucius Institutes in Australian universities; academic partnerships with Chinese institutions; sister-city agreements with Chinese authorities; and even the Port of Darwin lease.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australians were right to expect the federal government to set foreign policy.
“It is vital that when it comes to Australia’s dealings with the rest of the world, we speak with one voice and work to one plan,” he told a press conference on Aug. 27.
“If they’re inconsistent with the national interest, they’ll go,” Morrison said.
The Foreign Relations Bill proposes that Foreign Minister Marise Payne will need to be notified by state or territory governments of intention to negotiate with a foreign government entity.
Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Department of State following the 30th AUSMIN in Washington on July 28, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool via Reuters)
She will have the authority to review, approve, or veto prospective and existing agreements between foreign governments and public Australian entities if they are inconsistent with foreign policy or are detrimental to relations with other countries.
Approvals can also be revoked later.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the changes would ensure all international agreements would be consistent with Australia’s values.
“What Australia is doing is ensuring that arrangements that are entered into by state and territory governments are in Australia’s national interests,” Payne told Channel Nine.
“Most importantly that we do our due diligence on those agreements and we ensure that they are consistent with our foreign policy