Interview with Sally Sara, ABC Radio National Breakfast

Website search Interviewer Indian Prime Minister in Australia, Uranium Agreement with India, Trade and security cooperation. SALLY SARA: As you're hearing this morning, around 20,000 people attended a celebration of the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, at a stadium in Melbourne last night. Earlier, Mr Modi met with Anthony Albanese, with the leaders agreeing to deepen defence ties and build on Australia’s uranium export trade.

Madeleine King is the Minister for Resources and Minister for Northern Australia. Minister, welcome back to Breakfast. MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Good morning, Sally.

It's great to be with you. SALLY SARA: The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, said yesterday that this was "the next era” in Australia's partnership with India. How significantly has the bilateral relationship changed?

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Well, it's really significant in its magnitude. And being trusted partners where we share an ocean, energy exports are vital to India. For me it's the second time I've had the great privilege to meet Prime Minister Modi who is - him and his Government Ministers responsible for a population of 1.3 billion people in the powerhouse that is India that will soon become the third largest economy in the world and is right now the country with the largest population.

And of course the diaspora of India plays such a significant part in Australia's ongoing wellbeing and our communities right around the country. I'm in Melbourne now, and it's amazing to see the crowd that was there at Marvel Stadium last night. So it's a really important step, and I really thank Prime Minister Modi for coming to Australia this time.

SALLY SARA: What does the Uranium Agreement mean for uranium production in Australia? MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Well, it opens up opportunities for this export to India. And indeed that was agreed some time ago with the treaty level nuclear cooperation agreement that came into force just over 10 years ago.

And quite rightly, there's got to be quite strict administrative arrangements about that export of uranium. And it is Australia's position that we want to make sure India can only use, or indeed anyone we export uranium to, they can only use it for peaceful purposes. And we've got to a point with a lot of work with our friends in India to make sure that those administrative arrangements are well in place that will now allow for that export to commence, and the International Energy Agency will have oversight over that use.

And what is really important is that it cements the relationship, but also it makes sure Australia and India maintain that connection through energy security, and that's exactly what we want to do. SALLY SARA: The Minerals Council is saying that this is an opportunity to overturn bans on uranium mining in some parts of the country. Does the Federal Government believe that overturning such bans is necessary to meet Indian demand?

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Well, the bans in different States are definitely a matter for the States, and my understanding is that the uranium deposits that are in operation now in those States that don't ban them, and that's particularly South Australia through the Olympic Dam Mine, the Roxby Downs Mine there, which I've also visited, is more than sufficient to provide for these exports.

But no doubt, no doubt there will be more talk about that, about the levels. I mean, these are not massive volumes of a commodity. But I'll have to leave that to BHP to work with their customers through the Indian Government, so to speak, to see what those volumes will be and what can be accounted for.

SALLY SARA: You're listening to Radio National Breakfast, and you're hearing from the Minister for Resources, Madeleine King. Earlier on Breakfast, Minister, we heard from the Greens Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Senator David Shoebridge, who's critical of the uranium export arrangements. Should Australians be worried about this trade when it comes to nuclear proliferation?

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Absolutely not. What we want to do what we want for Australia to be and remain, indeed, is a reliable partner in the energy security of our region. And India being part of that network, where Australia has a pivotal role in energy security, is really important.

But for uranium specifically, and I do understand people's concern, that is why we have worked really deeply and very hard with our counterparts in India to make sure that those administrative arrangements are in place, and we have the International Energy Agency having really strict oversight of the use of Australia's uranium exports into India. So that means we're a reliable guarantor of energy security into the most populous nation on the face of the Earth, whilst we also have these really important safeguards of the use of that commodity that will only go into energy.

SALLY SARA: So trade and security cooperation is increasing between Australia and India. Did the Prime Minister raise any concerns about India's human rights record during discussions yesterday? MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Well, I wasn't in the private meeting.

There's been a number of meetings as you would understand, we discussed the meeting I discussed is how we're working together on trade, but especially in education is so vital, trade export between our countries, we have eight universities now operate Australian universities operate in India, also around the work that Geoscience Australia is doing with the geological survey of India for further exploration.

So those are the matters I was a part of discussing with the Prime Ministers. SALLY SARA: How would you describe the human rights record of the Modi Government in India? MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Well, I'm not going to speculate on that matter.

As I said, my responsibility, my work SALLY SARA: But why not if we're selling MINISTER MADELEINE KING: well, no, my SALLY SARA: resources to a country? MINISTER MADELEINE KING: My focus is on how we work together productively in terms not only of resources, but also in the education side of things, which is so vital; a country that is being lifted out of what can sometimes be quite oppressive poverty into a community that Prime Minister Modi has been responsible for providing energy SALLY SARA: Are human rights a factor in the Government's decisions of which countries it wants to do business with?

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: We trade with our partners, we work with the Governments of those countries, and around uranium, as I said, we make sure there are safeguards in place, the responsible use of those SALLY SARA: But that's not what I'm asking about. MINISTER MADELEINE KING: energy sources. SALLY SARA: Do human rights issues come into decisions about which countries Australia wants to increase trade with?

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Well, we focus on government-to-government in a responsible way of how we do this trade. So, we have had, as you know, many other countries criticise what Australia does within its internal system. That's not what we're discussing right now, and I don't think it's responsible for us to do that.

SALLY SARA: Same with China? MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Our focus is on making sure we are a reliable energy partner throughout the region, and that is what that brings is peace and prosperity to the region. That's my focus, and it will continue to be that.

SALLY SARA: Madeleine King, thank you for joining me this morning. MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Yeah, thanks, Sally. All the best.

SALLY SARA: Madeleine King is the Minister for Resources and Minister for Northern Australia. The Department of Industry, Science and Resources recognises the First Peoples of this Nation and their ongoing cultural and spiritual connections to the lands, waters, seas, skies, and communities. We Acknowledge First Nations Peoples as the Traditional Custodians and Lore Keepers of the oldest living culture and pay respects to their Elders past and present.

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