Australia free trade deal gives ‘far too much for far too little’

The UK’s first post-Brexit trade deal negotiated from scratch gave away ‘far too much for far too little in return’, a former cabinet minister has claimed. George Eustice, who served as environment secretary for two years from 2020 to 2022, said the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement was ‘shattered’ by the then trade secretary Liz Truss, who destroyed the potential for a mutually-beneficial deal. He claimed Ms Truss, who sacked him upon becoming prime minister in September, ruined the negotiations by pushing for a rushed deal in time for the G7 in Cornwall on 11 June 2021. Mr Eustice made the slight during a Commons debate on Monday despite having helped secure the deal while at the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs.  The former environment secretary said the rushed agreement was ‘not actually a very good deal for the UK’. He claimed the UK had started negotiations ‘with the strongest possible hand’ but the civil servants at the Department for International Trade (DIT) tasked with securing a deal were forced into making concessions to meet Ms Truss’ demands. Negotiators were put ‘on the back foot’ after the former prime minister hurried them, he said, which allowed their Australian counterparts to ‘shape the terms’ of an agreement. The deal was originally intended to ensure tariff-free trade between Australia and the UK, but the final terms of the agreement afforded Australia full access to the UK market to sell beef and sheep, while Australia still bans the import of British beef.  George Eustice during a Commons debate on Monday slammed the Australia deal (Image: PTV ) Liz Truss was slammed for “shattering” the deal by trying to rush it through (Image: GETTY )Mr Eustice added: ‘Unless we recognise the failures that the Department for International Trade made during the Australia negotiations, we will not be able to learn the lessons for future negotiations. ‘There are critical negotiations underway right now, notably on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and on Canada, and it is essential that the DIT does not repeat the mistakes it made. ‘And so, the first step is to recognise that the Australia trade deal is not actually a very good deal for the UK. It was not for lack of trying on my part.’ He added that now he is on the backbenches, he ‘no longer has to put such a positive gloss on what was agreed’.READ MORE: Sunak sets sights on joining £8.4TRN trade bonanza after call with Aus [REVEAL]  British farmers expressed concern that they would be undercut by cheap Australian imports (Image: GETTY ) International trade minister Andrew Bowie said all trade officials were ‘dedicated” to good trade (Image: GETTY )Under the current terms of the agreement, roughly 99 percent of tariffs on Australian exports have been eliminated. It also removes some visa rules, allowing Britons to work and travel in Australia for up to three years, while a similar ease in relocation has been made for Australians coming to the UK. It was believed it would also help boost sales of Australia’s wine, beef and sugar, which have been boycotted by China, their main export market, after IndoPacific political tensions. UK architects, scientists, researchers, lawyers and accountants, under the new rules, can also access work visas without being subject to Australia’s skilled occupation list.While the government at the time said the deal would be a gateway into the fast-growing Indo-Pacific region, boosting the UK’s bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), one of the largest free trade areas in the world, British farmers expressed concern that they would be undercut by cheap imports. DON’T MISS: Sunak’s slating of Oz free trade deal is folly says CATHERINE McBRIDE [OPINION] Farmers lash out at Australia trade deal with stinging criticism [REVEAL] World of opportunity for global Britain now we’re free of EU – COMMENT [INSIGHT]  shadow minister for International Trade Nick Thomas-Symonds said the Tories were in “utter disarray” (Image: GETTY )In response to Mr Eustice’s latest comments, current international trade minister Andrew Bowie said all trade officials were ‘dedicated to bettering the trading relationship of this country’.But shadow minister for International Trade Nick Thomas-Symonds claimed the latest criticisms from within the Conservative ranks showed the Government’s trade bodies were in ‘utter disarray’. Mr Thomas-Symonds said: ‘It is clear that the Conservative Government’s trade policy is in utter disarray. Even George Eustice, a Cabinet Member when the Australia Trade Deal was negotiated, has now agreed that ‘the UK gave away far too much for far too little in return’. ‘He is right to condemn this Government’s approach. On trade the Conservatives have no strategy and they are – badly – letting down the UK, which will cost jobs, investment and growth. We can’t afford this Government any longer and need a General Election now.’READ NEXT: Brexit Britain hailed for trade negotiationsIndia trade deal ‘moving in the right direction’ despite talk of delayDeborah Meaden in clash with Brexit activist backing UK trade dealsFemi rants Brexit is ‘threat’ to human rights and values ‘democracy’Who do we have a trade deal with now? Britain’s closest partners