Liz Truss demands Australia picks up ‘glacially slow’ trade negotiations ahead of crunch meeting this week as allies brand her Canberra counterpart ‘inexperienced’
- Liz Truss is set for face-to-face talks with Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan
- Talks in London due to start tomorrow but UK frustrated at pace of the progress
- Allies of Ms Truss said Australia needs to ‘show us the colour of their money’
- They have also taken aim at Mr Tehan, describing the minister as ‘inexperienced’
Liz Truss wants Australia to speed up the ‘glacially slow’ pace of trade talks with the UK as her allies claimed her negotiating counterpart is ‘inexperienced’.
The International Trade Secretary is due to hold face-to-face discussions in London this week with Dan Tehan, the Australian Trade Minister.
The UK Government is frustrated at the lack of progress being made in the talks, with sources close to Ms Truss warning the Australian government needs to ‘show us the colour of their money’.
They said Mr Tehan ‘needs to show that he can play at this level’ in comments which risk souring the negotiations.
Liz Truss, the International Trade Secretary, is due to hold face-to-face discussions in London this week with Dan Tehan, the Australian Trade Minister
Mr Tehan is visiting London for two days of talks, starting tomorrow, and the pressure is on to secure a breakthrough due to the fact he has been allowed to make the trip despite Australia’s strict coronavirus travel policy.
Department for International Trade sources told The Telegraph that Canberra needs to show ‘some serious movement on their side’ if there is to be a breakthrough.
Talks are said to have stalled since Mr Tehan took the job back in December last year.
Sources accused Australia of being ‘slow to move on key UK asks’ like on business visas and reducing tariffs on key exports like Scotch whisky.
A source close to Ms Truss told the newspaper: ‘She plans to sit him down in the Locarno Room [in the Foreign Office] in an uncomfortable chair, so he has to deal with her directly for nine hours.’
Allies of Ms Truss have labelled Mr Tehan ‘inexperienced’ and claimed he ‘needs to show that he can play at this level’
The source added: ‘He is inexperienced compared to Liz. He needs to show that he can play at this level.
‘Australia need to show us the colour of their money. They’re great friends of ours and talk a good game about free trade and wanting a deal, but they need to match those words with action.’
It is estimated that a bilateral trade deal between London and Canberra could increase the value of UK exports to Australia by £900million a year.
Current British trade with Australia is reportedly worth more than £18billion a year.
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