Labor Minister ‘Not Sure’ If US Is Australia’s Most Trusted Ally

Australian and U.S. flags are seen during the 33rd Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) meeting in Brisbane, Australia, on July 29, 2023. Australian Department of Defence

Senior Albanese government minister Don Farrell has been asked to apologise after he said “I’m not sure that the United States is our most trusted ally.”

The trade minister, who was representing Foreign Minister Penny Wong on March 18, said he believes Australia’s closest international ally is New Zealand.

Speaking in the Senate, Mr. Farrell was questioned on Labor’s decision to resume funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza.

Shadow Assistant Foreign Minister Claire Chandler asked Mr. Farrell (pdf) why the Albanese Labor government was acting “in opposition to the United States, our most trusted international partner,” which is waiting on a UNRWA investigation.

In response, Mr. Farrell said, “I take issue with your first statement. I’m not sure that the United States is our most trusted ally. I would have said New Zealand, in the whole history of time—I would have said our closest international ally is New Zealand.”

“We are very close to the United States—I freely concede that—and we'll continue to work closely with the United States on a range of international issues.”

Simon Birmingham, who is the shadow minister for foreign affairs, called on Mr. Farrell to apologise on March 19.

In an interview with Sky News, Mr. Birmingham said, “what Don Farrell did was quite insulting to the United States, and he ought to apologise for it. He ought to set the record straight.”

He highlighted that the United States shares extremely sensitive information with Australia under both the Five Eyes agreement and AUKUS partnership.

“So, we are asking them to put enormous trust in us and we should reciprocate that trust. Every single Albanese government minister should be crystal clear about that. Not dismissive of it,” Mr. Birmingham said.

“Under the Five Eyes agreement, the United States shares its most sensitive intelligence with Australia. Under the AUKUS partnership. We’re expecting the United States to share its most sensitive defence technologies with Australia.”

Discussing New Zealand, Mr. Birmingham said, “our Kiwi cousins are family” and absolutely a close and trusted partner.

Mr. Birmingham highlighted the importance of AUKUS and asked why Mr. Farrell appeared to be at odds with the defence minister and prime minister.

“But let’s be very clear about the degree of sensitivity that exists in the Australia-United states relationship in terms of sensitive material and information that is exchanged, and that is only intended to escalate in terms of the level of sensitive information and material being exchanged between our countries,” he said.

“We are embarking, through AUKUS, on the closest and most trusted of partnerships and Prime Minister Albanese and the Defence Minister, Richard Marles, have sought to be clear about that.

“Why is their trade minister at odds with them, and why is he seeking to talk down the U.S. relationship in this way? That’s why he ought to be pretty quick to correct the record or have the Prime Minister haul him into line.”

What Is Going On with UNRWA Funding?

The Albanese government announced it would reinstate funding to the UNRWA on March 15.

Australia had paused funding to the U.N. relief agency in February after allegations emerged workers were involved in the Hamas attack on Israel.

On March 18, Liberal Senator Claire Chandler asked Mr. Farrell if the government consulted with the United States before announcing it would resume funding to the U.N. agency.

In response, Mr. Farrell said, “we make our own decisions about who we make humanitarian grants to.”

“We obviously have a very close relationship with the United States, but we also have close relations with Canada, New Zealand, and a range of other countries, including the European Union,” he said.

In a recent media release, Albanese government ministers highlighted their decision to reinstate funding to UNRWA was consistent with the moves of Canada, Sweden, and the European Union.

Canada’s Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen recently explained the nation was resuming funding to UNRWA to “respond to the urgent needs of Palestinian civilians.”

Sweden advised it would restore funding and provide the UNRWA with $20 million to help the agency regain its “financial footing.”

These decisions were labelled a “serious mistake” by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Australia Will Work With the UNRWA: Foreign Minister

Going forward, Ms. Wong said the Australian government will work with the UNRWA “to ensure integrity and neutrality are beyond reproach.”

“The additional assistance provided, including support for airdrops, is recognition that we need to pursue all avenues to address the suffering in Gaza,” Ms. Wong said.

“Only UNRWA has the infrastructure to receive and distribute aid on the scale needed right now in Gaza. But aid can only reach the civilian population at scale if Israel lets it into Gaza. Australia implores Israel to allow this to happen.”