PRIME MINISTER ABBOTT:
It is a thrill and an honour for me to be with President François Hollande here in our Parliament House.
France is the world's fifth largest economy. It’s one of the world's largest and strongest military powers. France is a good friend of Australia and, indeed, a neighbour here in the Pacific.
I want to thank François for the warmth of his welcome when I was in France in June. I also want to thank François for his leadership around the table of the G20 over the last weekend.
We have had very good discussions this morning; discussions between ourselves and discussions with our ministers.
Obviously, we focused on trade and it is my hope that Australia can swiftly begin negotiations for a free trade agreement with the European Union, and I've had a great deal of support from European leaders, including François, for this objective.
Australia and France are strong security partners. We have a security relationship which goes back 100 years, and I will have more to say about that at events later today. We are both working together very strongly in Iraq right now and the Australian KC-30 refueller has been helping to keep France's Rafale fighters in the air over Iraq. But we've got more to do particularly when it comes to intelligence-sharing on the question of foreign fighters.
This is the beginning of the Great War centenary commemorations. Obviously, there will be much that France and Australia have to do together over the next four years, including at Gallipoli next year. It's sometimes forgotten that there were other countries at Gallipoli. There was Britain, there was France, and there was India as we were reminded in the last day or so.
Yes, we discussed climate change. I raised climate change. It's very important that we get strong and effective outcomes from the conference in Paris next year. Climate change is an important subject. It is a subject that the world needs to tackle as a whole. Yes, each country has to do its bit to tackle the emissions problem. We all are doing what we can, Australia as well, and we need a strong and effective agreement from Paris next year.
Finally, I should say that today concludes perhaps the most intensive period of international engagement in our history, beginning Friday a week ago, we have had bilateral visits from the leaders of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, China, India and now France. We've hosted the G20 in Brisbane which is by far the largest international gathering ever to have taken place here in Australia, and in between, I attended the APEC and East Asia Summit.
So, it has been a very intensive period of international engagement, but the objective of all our international engagements is, yes, a better world, but particularly, a better Australia. What that means is stronger national security; it means stronger economic security. We need international security in order to have the prosperity and the stability that we all require. In the end, Australia's international engagement is about building a strong and prosperous economy with more jobs and higher living standards for every Australian.
So, François, thank you so much. You are an honoured guest and a good friend, and our relationship is going from strength to strength.
PRESIDENT HOLLANDE:
Prime Minister, dear Tony.
It is true that this was an historic visit – my first visit to Australia, which of course is the first state visit to Australia, I've mentioned this a few times now, but also due to the fact that I spent a whole week in Australia with a little side trip to New Caledonia, and one week is the longest period of official travel that I have carried out since I have been President of the French Republic.
So, the particular issues that I wanted to shape this visit – it wasn't just a state visit, but also a visit to attend the G20. Why are these important issues? Because we need to talk about the future, we need to talk about growth, we need to talk about regulation, we need to talk about security, and also what may become in terms of climate change.
So, in fact we discussed just about everything but it was also a visit during which France and Australia came together: two countries who never lost one another, because they were linked by history – dramatic and human history – and we will have an opportunity to recognise the sacrifice of Australian soldiers who came to save France twice and we will never forget this.
That is the reason why not only did you come to France, Tony, on 6th June, but you will also attend, on our invitation, the meeting in 2015 and in 2016. There will be Australian troops that will be part of the official procession on 14th July, because this is a very important matter for us. Historically, it is true you are a friendly country, a country that is our friend, that is our brother, but also geographically speaking because France is a neighbour of Australia and perhaps some of you may not realise this, but it is reality.
France is present in New Caledonia, in French Polynesia, in Wallis and Futuna and therefore France is part of the Pacific area and therefore is a country that is a neighbour of Australia. We have a number of exchanges between our overseas territories and Australia that are ongoing.
We are also one of countries who are partners, not just economically speaking. Here you have 400 French companies that employ 80,000 or 100,000 staff, and about 100,000 French people who live in Australia, and who contribute their talents, their experience, their youth to ensure that our countries may become partners in innovation that is at the highest level of technology, and it was something that I was able to verify for myself when I attended the Thales site yesterday and what I was able to see also when I talked to the various CEOs from Australian companies who were able to talk to my CEOs, so that we could work out what could be done in terms of infrastructure technology into the future; in terms of partnerships that would enhance energy resources.
We are also a country that is conscious of the role that we play in the world, and that is why we are allies. We are allies because we are fighting terrorism together, and this is the reason why French planes and Australian planes are acting side-by-side in Iraq to fight against Daesh, to weaken Daesh, and to enable Iraqi people to reconquer their sovereignty and their freedom.
Our two countries are allied in terms of defence issues because we have French companies and Australian companies that are currently developing various pieces of equipment which are the most important for France's strategic strength, and these components are currently being manufactured in Australia. Also in terms of cooperation for intelligence, we are working together, and I have discussed this with the Prime Minister of Australia, that is what can we do about foreign fighters, what can we do together? This is something that we have been discussing today.
We need to ensure that there is more commercial links, more trade links, more exchanges. A certain amount of negotiating which is being launched between Australia and France and this part of the Pacific, so that in terms of worldwide agreement, we are able to better invest and trade more easily. French companies have requested this and especially those working in the agriculture sector, and I'm sure that Australian companies would also like to have a simplified procedure so that they can invest in our country's technological alliances between French companies and Australian companies, but also research institutes, both French and Australian. So, a number of agreements have been signed between our universities, and also culturally speaking, so that we are able to promote Australian culture and French culture in our two countries.
Finally, also, for language, I won't be saying anything new if I tell you that in France we don't only speak French, we also speak English, but through this cooperation at the level of schools, at the level of institutes that we are able to finance together, we can ensure that French can still be spoken.
Lastly on climate change, I know certain opinions differ as to how we can better deal with climate change in this region, but it is very important that we underline this during the G20 and during this State visit. What is important is our objective and then each country can organise itself to decide how it’s going to tackle it and what is the best way to ensure that we can deal with climate change but not impact on growth; how can we control the global warming – we note that this is an area where we have potential for creating wealth.
I have been very happy to be here in Australia among you for a whole week, minus the two nights that I spent in New Caledonia where we were able, with representatives of the overseas territories, to work at the SPC, and I heard their message because we are all linked to one another, and France is also being counted upon so that we can attain development and stability in this region.
Thank you very much, Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER:
Do we have some questions? Let's have an Australian question first.
QUESTION:
My question is for President Hollande. Mr President, how confident are you that the meeting you will host in Paris next year can reach a successful and ambitious agreement? How important is it that other countries all make contributions to the Green Climate Fund to reach that deal? And when would you like to see other countries put their own individual targets on the table ahead of that meeting?
PRESIDENT HOLLANDE:
When France was the one who wanted to offer to host the Conference on Climate Change, it was the only country that offered to do this and a certain number of countries have to be brought together to organise such a meeting and at that time there was a great deal of fear that, just as in Copenhagen, objectives may well be able to be set, but they would not be able to be reached. And for the last two years almost, we have evolved in our way of thinking.
I would offer as an example and proof what happened during the General Assembly of the United Nations in September of last year where a number of financial institutions and states and large private companies committed themselves in terms of this conference on climate change, and also the Green Fund contributions which have been announced already, and which show very clearly that if we want the emerging countries and the more fragile countries to participate in this global growth, we have to be around them; we he have to support them.
There is also an agreement that has been signed recently between the US and China – the two countries with the most emissions. There can't be a worldwide agreement because that would mean that they would continue to emit, whereas we would be constraining ourselves and restricting ourselves to resign emissions, whereas we are not really the main culprits. So, during the G20, it wasn't really part of our agenda and we could have considered that this issue of climate change could just be set aside. There was this announcement that we should do everything we could to succeed in terms of a climate conference. We have a conference planned in Lima in December of next year, and the basis of the agreement already must be set before then. Of course, this is what we mean when we say a worldwide agreement – a global agreement – it has to be legally binding and it has to be differentiated and it has to have some sort of link with the Green Fund and I do hope that quite a number of countries will be able to join us and during the whole of 2015 we can have preparatory stages for the Paris conference because what I want to avoid is waiting until the last minute so that there would be this awareness raising and there’d be an agreement that whether it is signed or not, by Heads of State.
So, for the whole of 2015, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Laurent Fabius, will be entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that events are created and that we can reach at least an agreement of principle at the end of 2015.
You ask me whether I'm optimistic – well, if I say yes, then the French will consider I am always, but you if you say am I pessimistic, I would say, no – not because that's not my nature, but that's not my will. That's what matters.
PRIME MINISTER ABBOTT:
I wonder if I could just add a little to that. I think it's very important that we don't have another disaster like Copenhagen and it's vital that the Paris Conference be a success, unlike Copenhagen, and for it to be a success, we can't pursue environmental improvements at the expense of economic progress. We can't reduce emissions in ways which cost jobs, because it will fail if that's what we end up trying to do.
I just want to stress that Australia has a very good story to tell on climate change. We will achieve our 5 per cent on 2000 reductions target by 2020 – we will achieve it – and 5 per cent on 2000 is in fact 19 per cent reduction on business as usual and it is a 12 per cent reduction on 2005.
So, what we are doing is quite comparable with what other countries are doing. We do deliver on our reductions targets, unlike some other countries, and I think it's important that I make that point, and it was good to hear François talking about a binding agreement coming out of Paris. What's important is that the agreement is strong and effective and that the targets are met. That's the point: targets have to be met and when it comes to Kyoto, Australia more than met its reductions targets and that can't be said of other countries.
So, perhaps we should have a French question now.
QUESTION:
This visit has been marked by a certain number of events linked to terrorism, whether on videos, or in terms of Jerusalem, what happened there. Has this intensification of terrorist acts lead you to have another look at your strategy in terms of on-the-ground actions? I also have another question for Mr Abbott. An issue that was a little bit divisive during the G20 was climate change. Are you looking to a binding agreement and what do you think of contributing to the Green Fund? Do you have anything else to say in relation to climate change? Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER ABBOTT:
I just said something about climate change in response to the question from The Guardian. We will be considering our position in terms of targets and in terms of contributions to various funds in coming months. But when it comes to funds, let me just make this observation: we've just passed a law in our Parliament to establish a $2.55 billion fund over the next four years to purchase abatement. So, this is a very significant fiscal contribution to the task of global emissions reduction, our $2.55 billion fund to purchase abatement. That's the first point I want to make.
We've also got the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, a $10 billion institution which is in the business of funding various projects which have economic and environmental outcomes. Finally, a significant part of our aid contribution – our overseas aid, particularly in the Pacific – is climate mitigation.
So, Australia is doing a lot and obviously we'll consider what more we can do in the weeks and months ahead.
PRESIDENT HOLLANDE:
During my trip here, three events have occurred – serious, hard to bear. Even though they are violent, they are not of the same type and this is why I want to draw a distinction between these three events. These images, firstly, that showed the assassination in absolutely horrific conditions of an American hostage – a young man who worked in the humanitarian field – these images were accompanied by other violent scenes that are impossible to watch. Eighteen Syrians were decapitated. What caused debate is how can we possibly reach such a level of horrific actions and what sort of impact would this have on those who want to watch them.
Then, there is also this question that we ask in terms of why there would be foreign fighters present. Since we can't as yet determine how many of them are involved, and how large a movement this is, all we can say for now is that there are two French people who have been identified. One has been categorically identified, the other one is in the process of being identified. And this, without knowing exactly what role these two individuals played, the judicial system will have to establish this. But we have to be even more aware, even in terms of the information that needs to be handed out, in terms of the danger that internet sites carry and how these young people can be indoctrinated. They could be from any background, from any ethnic origin, but they easily can be brainwashed into becoming converts and this is a very important matter.
We must be vigilant and we must be strong. We must be firm in terms of the networks and in terms of these foreign fighters themselves who will have to face the consequences of their actions before the judicial system when, at one point or another, they are able to be apprehended – whether in France or abroad.
The second event that occurred – this video which shows a French hostage Serge Lazarevic who was taken three years ago and I am aware of a young woman who is very brave. So, we are happy with this video because this is a proof of life. We know that he is still alive and therefore we must raise awareness, we must do everything we know how to do and we've been able to do for too long, unfortunately, so that the best possible opportunity is found to find our hostage. But you asked a question, a question you could have asked me several months ago, that is to say what are we doing to ensure that our hostages can be freed? And we do this while respecting rules and principles in order not to exacerbate the danger for others that may be in the field.
And finally, yesterday there was an attack on a synagogue in Jerusalem which was particularly terrifying with four people who lost their life and this is unfortunately the trend in terms of what's happening, and so we must be very clear that we condemn these sort of actions. This is something that occurred in a place of worship, and we must also act to ensure that violence in Jerusalem ceases and that conditions for resuming talks may finally be such that this dialogue can occur. We must act and we must be responsible in our actions.
PRIME MINISTER ABBOTT:
Mark Simkin, an Australian question.
QUESTION:
Thanks, Prime Minister. Mark Simkin, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Mr President, following on from your last answer, by some estimates there are 500 to 700 French citizens fighting for extremist groups in the Middle East. What is France doing to stop this phenomenon of foreign fighters? Are you considering some of the legislation Australia has adopted, for example?
And Mr Abbott, you mentioned in your remarks that Australia is keen to pursue a free trade deal with the EU. What sort of timetable are you putting on that?
PRIME MINISTER ABBOTT:
On the free trade deal, we want to move as quickly as we can and I think that Australia has demonstrated that we are capable of moving quickly. Over the last 12 months we've finalised deals with our three largest trading partners: with Korea, with Japan and now with China. So, we think it is possible to move quickly. I'm conscious of the fact that it took Canada, which has already done a deal with the EU, some years to get its deal done but I think right around the world now there's a determination to move here. Probably the best discussions at the G20 were on trade and the need for freer trade at every level – unilateral, bilateral and multilateral and everyone wants to get these things done more quickly because all of us appreciate that trade means jobs, trade means prosperity, trade ultimately means security because while trade isn't the be all and the end all of friendship, trade and business partnerships are often the foundation of friendship. They're the first steps towards friendship. So, we'll do it as quickly as we can and that might be more quickly than people think.
PRESIDENT HOLLANDE:
In relation to the trade element which is being opened, we are very much in favour of this. As the European Union that will bring this forward with a design that has to be very wide-ranging and allow for certain products, which currently cannot come into Australia, be admitted and I'm thinking of pork producers who have a lot of difficulty in terms of having their products tasted by Australian consumers, but there are other fields that can be slowed down by these rules as we would also like products to be identified. We would also like the cultural exception to prevail. But we believe it is very important to have this exchange because while coming to Australia we can access the Asian markets as well. During this visit I wasn't the only one here. We also had the Chinese President and in fact you did sign an agreement with China which is very important for us to be able to move towards the Asian market and also for our territories, our overseas territories, that are in the region and would also like to have a high number of exchanges of trade with Australia. Finally, it's very important for Australia also to be more present in Europe in all those markets and in particular third party markets and I'm thinking here of Africa, for instance.
In relation to the issue of foreign fighters, France has enacted legislation that allows for certain travel movements to be forbidden, for a high degree of vigilance on internet sites and also what we call, vigilance in terms of the terrorist-type companies and undertakings. We also have to have efficient measures, that is that any sort of punishment be already established, or sanctions. In terms of the figures that you quoted, there were 1,000 French citizens who went to Syria, went to Iraq, either remain there or are in transition zones, so-called. So, what is very important is not just reducing the number and avoiding new ones, but have some sort of penalty applying to those who went to these areas because if you go to a combat zone it is something that should be subject to sanctions and penalties within the law.
QUESTION:
I have a question for the French President. Mr President, a member of your government considered that it was indispensable that [inaudible] elections take place in order to give you new vigour. Now today is it not an act of defiance as we know that this system worked abroad, for instance for Barack Obama. Do you think this system can be imported into France?
PRESIDENT HOLLANDE:
I'm not sure if it’s the place or the time. I must say I did not mention this in my conversations with the Prime Minister, but certainly this system [inaudible] and in fact it is becoming more widespread. But to speak frankly it's not the issue that I wish to discuss today.
PRIME MINISTER ABBOTT:
Thank you so much, François. I really appreciate it. Thank you.
[ends]