Penny Wong, Foreign Minister: Today's Quad Foreign Ministers meeting is the second in six months, and it is a powerful sign of our shared commitment to the Indo Pacific. Can I first thank Secretary Rubio for hosting us here in Washington. I want to say to all of you, the Quad remains a vital partnership - four nations working together and with the region to help shape a prosperous, stable and peaceful future. A quarter of the world's people, a third of global GDP, navigating and working together to navigate the most challenging strategic circumstances since World War Two to advance our shared interests. We talked about the need to translate those shared interests to concrete outcomes, and I think you would have heard Secretary Rubio talk about that in his remarks before the Quad meeting began. Today we have agreed on some additional concrete measures, including a Quad Critical Minerals Initiative to help secure and diversify global supply chains. Maritime security remains central to our work, and we discussed the first ever Quad at Sea Ship Observer Mission which is already underway – very pleased that that’s occurring as we speak. We are also preparing for the first Indo-Pacific logistics network field exercise later this year. This is practical cooperation that actually draws on the Quad’s history; you might recall that the Quad has had an early history in the context of humanitarian and emergency response and we want to improve the interoperability of our services so that we can improve that practical cooperation. Also, our relationship with the United States extends well beyond the Quad and I was very pleased to meet separately with Secretary Rubio. The United States is Australia’s closest ally and most important strategic partner, and our alliance contributes to the peace and stability of our region and that was the focus of our meeting. We spoke about deepening co-operation across the alliance including through AUKUS, through critical minerals and regional security. Our countries have so much in common, and we are also two sovereign independent countries, we may do things differently at times as has been the case for over nearly three quarters of a century of our great alliance. And that includes tariffs, where we continue to advocate strongly for their removal as you’ve heard from me, from the Prime Minister, and other cabinet ministers. We will continue to act as a government in Australia’s national interests, and we will continue to invest in the partnerships that help shape a region where our sovereignty is respected and prosperity is shared. That is why I am so happy to be here in Washington DC for the second time this year to meet with my Quad colleagues, to press Australia’s case, and to advance our interests. Happy to take questions.
Journalist: Minister, what undertakings did you solicit about the Trump administration's commitment to the AUKUS pact, and did the Secretary give you any indication of changes that the administration was looking at making?
Foreign Minister: I'm not sure solicit is the correct verb, but what I would say to you is that we had a good discussion about the work that we do together. We had a good discussion about AUKUS and a very good discussion about the positive benefits of AUKUS to Australia, to the United States and to the United Kingdom.
Journalist: Minister, what is it going to take for Anthony Albanese to have a meeting with Donald Trump?
Foreign Minister: I was very grateful that the Secretary again expressed his regret for the meeting that was scheduled for the G7 having to be rescheduled. He spoke to me after that meeting and expressed that regret. I explained to him we perfectly understood why the President had to leave given the circumstances, and we agreed that we will reschedule this meeting, and we both look forward to the leaders meeting.
Journalist: Can you expand on what the Quad Critical Minerals arrangement is, and does that give Australia any tariff relief?
Foreign Minister: The Quad Critical Minerals is an initiative to try and ensure there is security of supply across a range of critical mineral supply chains. We still have a lot of work to do, but you would have heard, I think, from Secretary Rubio's public comments that this is a strategic vulnerability. This is a set of supply chains we need to assure. Australia has, I think, 36 of the 50 critical minerals. We certainly have a capacity to do more for those to secure those supply chains, and we were pleased that we had Australian companies as part of the Business Roundtable today.
Journalist: Minister, did Marco Rubio guarantee that AUKUS will go ahead?
Foreign Minister: We both understand the importance to both our countries and to the United Kingdom, and you would have seen what Secretary Rubio has previously said. We understand the new administration is going to engage in a review, that is not surprising, the United Kingdom did so. This is a multi-decade partnership, it will take governments and administrations of both political persuasions over many years to deliver. We will continue to work with the United States and the United Kingdom on delivering it.
Journalist: On critical minerals, how can you have confidence that the United States really thinks that there should be a diversification of supply given they've just done a deal with China, the dominant supplier of critical minerals, and we've had an offer on the table to them, from your government, since at least March when the steel and aluminium tariffs came in? A long-trusted ally for our critical minerals – are they really serious about diversifying their supply chains?
Foreign Minister: Look, I would refer you to what has been said publicly, and we know that these are a set of supply chains, which are critical, no pun intended, so important for so many industries, including the military as well as civil industry. So of course, we'll continue to work with the United States and others to deliver.
Journalist: Just to clarify what you said, you said you had a good discussion about AUKUS with the Secretary, but didn't say, in response to John's question, that the Secretary was able to guarantee that AUKUS will go ahead in any form. Doesn't that leave Australia in a very perilous state?
Foreign Minister: Michael, I know you want to write that, and I'm sure nothing I will say will stop you writing that. But can I just make this point? This is a partnership that's been in place for some time. It's a partnership which will last decades. This is a review which is still in the process of being undertaken. We will provide information to that review as and when requested. We'll do so in a calm, mature way. And I think it is very clear, if you look at what AUKUS delivers, that it delivers near term and medium-term capability to the United States, as well as to Australia and to the United Kingdom. That is well understood here in Washington, and certainly something the Secretary well understood.
Journalist: Senator Wong, Marco Rubio said that he wanted the Quad to become a ‘vehicle for action’. Given that, was there any specific request made during your meeting for Australia to increase its defence spending?
Foreign Minister: As I've said publicly, the issue of Australia's defence budget was not raised with me, either in the Quad or in my bilateral meeting. What we did discuss is the number of areas of co-operation that we want to see more concrete outcomes in. Critical minerals is one of them, maritime security is another.
Journalist: Just to follow up on just this question about the critical minerals offers that Australia has been engaging in. Was there any progress on an arrangement with Australia regarding critical minerals, and did you make any arrangements or proposals for potential deals for tariffs?
Foreign Minister: On tariffs, our position remains unchanged, which is, we have a Free Trade Agreement. That free trade agreement enables free trade, and we continue to honour that free trade agreement, and American goods and services continue to enter Australia tariff free in accordance with that free trade agreement, and the government's position remains, we want to see that free trade agreement honoured.
Journalist: Minister, do you think our relationship with the United States is changing? We can't secure a meeting between our leaders. There has been no tariff deal. Are you concerned?
Foreign Minister: I think that the Trump administration and President Trump has made very clear to the world that he envisages a different role for America in the world. We understand that, and we respect that. We continue to advocate for our interests. What I would say is our strategic partnership is deep. It is trusting, it is to the benefit of both nations, and I think that is understood here in Washington.
Journalist: Minister from Australia’s point of view, is the United States as reliable a partner under Donald Trump as it has been in the past?
Foreign Minister: Look, I refer to my previous answer, we understand that President Trump has a different view of how America is to be in the world. We respect that. We also recognise how important our partnership is, and we believe that that is understood here in Washington. We are a long-time partner. This is not a recent relationship; it’s a relationship where the alliance has been in the hands of governments of both political persuasions and it will always be so.
Journalist: Minister, this week we saw Canada walk back plans to impose an additional service tax. Have you had any conversations in Canberra or here in Washington with Secretary Rubio about our news bargaining incentive? We know that it's not liked by the US technology giants, and they put pressure on the Trump administration about it – is that something Australia might consider watering down or appealing as a way, as a gesture?
Foreign Minister: This government will always act in our national interests. And you would know this is not a revenue raising measure. This is a measure to try and ensure access, reasonable access to news content, and I think all of you would be aware of the basis for that.
Journalist: Regarding MH17, you tweeted about the International Civil Aviation Organization ordering Russia, regarding MH17, what's different from the initial one that they made in May, and how realistic is it that Russia will play ball?
Foreign Minister: ICAO, the International Civil Aviation Organization, yes, there's a lot of acronyms in this portfolio, which I often also have trouble with. But the original finding, obviously, we've been pursuing justice and accountability for all those who were lost, including those who called Australia home, but as importantly for their families and loved ones, and we have taken many avenues to try and seek that justice and accountability, and this is an important one. And we were pleased that the International Civil Aviation Organization did find that it had jurisdiction and now has ordered that Russia engage in negotiation with us and with the Netherlands, as well as possibly some others. Russia should do that. Russia is part of this organisation. There is jurisdiction, and Russia should be part of those discussions.
Journalist: Just one quick question on trade, if I can. During the day, President Trump indicated that he was probably not going to be able to do a trade deal with Japan and possibly would be able to do a deal with India before this notional deadline of next week. Was there any indication coming out of your meetings today about the status of a potential trade deal between Australia and the US?
Foreign Minister: Well, obviously we're in a different position than India and Japan and obviously Australia, we recognise the administration's approach on this, we continue to maintain our position, which is we have a free trade agreement and we would like that to continue to be honoured.
Journalist: Minister, having spent the day consulting with the Quad leaders, from the Quad’s point of view, how much of a threat to Australia's security is China?
Foreign Minister: I've been asked this many times, and I give the same answer, which is, China is a great power, it is asserting its influence using all aspects of national power. The challenge for Australia and for other countries is that there are, one can see where those interests differ from Australia's interests.
Journalist: Is it a threat to Australia?
Foreign Minister: Well, I'll use my words, and I’ve been asked that many times. Certainly China has interests which it presses which are not the same as our interests, and we have to navigate that, and we do that, and we have not stepped back as a government from those things where we disagree, but we will continue to engage. You've heard me say many times: we cooperate where we can, disagree where we must, and continue to engage in our national interest, and that will continue to be the government's approach. Thank you very much.