Liz Truss: What new UK PM’s victory means for Australia

She caused resentment in France and rankled the White House. Here’s what Liz Truss’s leadership win means for Australia.

She caused resentment questioning if French president Emmanuel Macron was a “friend or foe” and championed the Northern Ireland protocol bill which rankled the White House.

But while Liz Truss’s elevation to British Prime Minister is set to cause trouble on the international stage at a sensitive time, it has given rise to hope for improved Australian-British relations.

With the challenges from the war in the Ukraine, the European energy crisis and urgent calls for action on climate change, the world is looking for strong direction from Britain.

New British PM delivers a speech after claiming victory. Picture: AFP.

Boris Johnson’s successor is a welcomed arrival for the Australian government with the Minister trade and tourism, Don Farrell, trumpeting her key role in driving the Australia-UK free trade agreement.

Matthew Lesh, head of public policy at the Institute of Economic Affairs agreed she was “very sympathetic to Australia”.

“She signed the Australia-UK trade agreement that’s about to come into force that will improve immigration and export and import by removing trade barriers and in that deal, post Brexit, Truss visited Australia several times as trade and foreign secretary, she’s known to be very sympathetic to Australia,” Mr Lesh said.

“She was close to George Brandis (former British High Commissioner to Australia) and closely associated with Australia in terms of being a China sceptic – she’s concerned about rights abuse and about their behaviour.”

After a gruelling nationwide tour, a dozen hustings and three televised debates, Liz Truss is elevated to UK Prime Minister heading the Conservative party. Picture: AFP.

Political commentators suggested rival Rishi Sunak would have been a poor choice for Australia relations since he believed the signed Scott Morrison and Boris Johnson Australia-UK trade deal, which needs to be pushed through both houses of Parliament, was a bad idea which would hurt British farmers.

“Liz Truss wants to build relations with like-minded global communities of Liberal democratic nations like New Zealand, Australia, the US, Japan, and Taiwan – she’s thinking globally and that elevates Australia,” Mr Lesh said.

Former Australian high commissioner to the UK and executive chair of the International School for Government at King’s College London, Alexander Downer said the new Conservative party leader spells “continuity.”

The Conservative party will now be led by the new Prime Minister Liz Truss who beat her opponent, former Chancellor Rishi Sunak. Picture: Getty Images.

“Australia has had a much closer relationship with the UK since Brexit when the free trade agreement was negotiated and more diplomatic collaboration between the countries under Theresa May and Boris Johnson and it will remain strong under Liz Truss,” he said.

“Relations between the two countries will remain excellent under Liz Truss.”

The former Coalition government of Scott Morrison had a good working relationship with Truss.

Conservative party leader and PM Liz Truss has brought new hope for improved relations between UK and Australia. Picture: Getty Images

However, as trade secretary, she launched an assault on former trade Minister Dan Tehan before crucial London trade talks, all but accusing him of being responsible for the “glacially slow” progress.

Former PM Tony Abbott was controversially appointed by Ms Truss as a trade adviser in 2020.

She was left to defend his controversial comments about abortion, marriage equality and gender equality.

Anthony Albanese’s government has had scant dealings with Ms Truss since it was elected in July with foreign Minister Penny Wong meeting her fleetingly at the G20 meeting in Bali.

Originally published as Liz Truss: What new UK PM’s victory means for Australia