Australia Eager to Strengthen Trade Ties with the UK in Light of Brexit
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The United Kingdom is still in a state of confusion and panic as the entire Brexit affair has yet to be resolved. Prime Minister Theresa May faced a crushing defeat in Parliament as MPs voted against her Brexit deal with the votes coming down to 432-202. There’s a lot of uncertainty as the deadline for Brexit looms over the UK, and no deal is in place to smoothen the transition.
While this state of affairs is fairly chaotic for the UK, it would seem that if Brexit were to go through, Australia would be one of the parties benefitting. In fact, reports have stated that Australia and the UK are engaging in talks about a free trade agreement, but this agreement is being negotiated on the basis that Brexit is happening.
The UK has also been moving toward leniency with regard to the visa conditions Australians need to meet. This move is, of course, in preparation for Brexit as well and would be of great benefit to Australia. Initially, Australians had to be considered highly skilled workers to qualify for a UK visa, but under these new proposals, even just skilled workers can easily apply for a visa. This deal is also dependent on whether the UK follows through with Brexit.
From Australia’s end, there’s a lot of general openness toward trade with the UK, even if Brexit occurs under the no-deal scenario (a situation considered the worst possible option). Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham has gone on record to say that they are focused on trade agreements and that even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, they will continue to pursue agreements with both the UK and the rest of Europe.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has also expressed similar sentiments, sharing that trade agreements should be pursued despite the uncertainty surrounding the situation. He said that, “I think what we’ve got to do is make sure we maintain good relationships with Europe and with Britain and get the advantages we can for our businesses.”
March 29th is the day Brexit is to officially be underway. With just 10 weeks remaining, there are still no clear plans for the transition and there are many questions and doubts. The UK remains deeply divided on how to handle Brexit and whether it’s worth it to commit to it at all.