Scott Morrison, Emmanuel Macron speak for the first time since submarine fallout

Scott Morrison has spoken with Emmanuel Macron for the first time since the PM ripped up a $90bn submarine contract infuriating the French leader.

Scott Morrison has spoken with Emmanuel Macron for the first time since the Prime Minister infuriated his French counterpart by ripping up a $90bn submarine contract.

France withdrew its ambassador from Australia last month and ministers said their country had been “stabbed in the back” when Mr Morrison scrapped the contract to instead acquire nuclear-powered submarines through the new AUKUS defence pact with the US and the UK.

While the ambassador recently returned, Mr Morrison had said he planned to give Mr Macron some space at this weekend’s G20 summit in Rome.

But the pair held surprise talks on Thursday evening, with Mr Macron saying Australia’s decision “broke the relationship of trust between our two countries”.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and French President Emmanuel Macron have spoken for the first time since a submarine deal went south. Picture: Adam Taylor/PMO

“The situation of the French businesses and their subcontractors, including Australian companies, affected by this decision will be given our utmost attention,” the French government said in a statement.

“It is now up to the Australian government to propose tangible actions that embody the political will of Australia’s highest authorities to redefine the basis of our bilateral relationship and continue joint action in the Indo-Pacific.”

The call came after Mr Morrison sent a handwritten note to Mr Macron earlier this month.

PM Scott Morrison boards a RAAF aircraft in Canberra on his way to theG20 in Rome and the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“The Prime Minister was pleased to be able to speak with President Macron. They had a candid discussion on the bilateral relationship,” an Australian government spokesman said.

“The Prime Minister looks forward to future collaborations on our shared interests, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.”

Ahead of the G20 and next week’s COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow, the pair also spoke about Australia’s emission reduction efforts.

The French statement suggested Mr Macron urged Mr Morrison to adopt more ambitious emissions reduction targets and to phase out the domestic production and consumption of coal.

There has been ongoing tension between the two leaders. Picture: Adam Taylor/PMO

But it is understood the discussion was more focused on the potential for both countries to work together on low emissions technology including hydrogen.

“The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to inform the President about Australia’s commitment to deliver net zero emissions by 2050,” the Australian government spokesman said.

UK Prime Minister and COP26 host Boris Johnson is lobbying all developed countries to abandon coal-fired power by 2030. Mr Morrison this week upped Australia’s 2030 contribution to a 35 per cent emissions cut, as he also locked in the 2050 net zero target.

But he said Australia would not comply with global mandates to close down domestic industries.

PM DECLARES WAR ON TROLLS AHEAD OF G20

Trolls would be unmasked and social media giants held to account as publishers under a plan Scott Morrison will present to world leaders at this weekend’s G20 meeting in Rome.

The Prime Minister will land in Italy on Friday night for a week-long overseas trip that also includes next week’s COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow.

Speaking prior to his departure, Mr Morrison said social media was a “weapon” that was “destroying lives” not just in Australia, but around the world.

He will push for consistent safeguards at the G20 summit to protect users of the popular platforms, especially children.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison departs Canberra for the G20 in Rome. Picture: Adam Taylor

“When they allow people to anonymously go on their platforms and publish their vile rubbish, whether that is to bully a young girl or target people online, or to push defamatory statements about people and to do so anonymously with impunity – that is not freedom of speech, that’s just cowardice,” Mr Morrison said.

He said rules which applied “in the real world” must also apply online, and that while Australia was leading the world in governing social media, he wanted to go further.

“These platforms are going to be treated like publishers,” he said.

“We can’t have all of these trolls online. If you want to go and say something online, well you’ve got to say who you are.”

This week, the federal government unveiled new rules requiring social media platforms to verify the age of their users and ensure parental consent for anyone under 16.

Tech giants will be forced to consider the best interests of children using their apps and websites, and fines of up to $10m will be enforced for serious privacy breaches.

“We want to protect kids,” Mr Morrison said.

In 2019, Mr Morrison spearheaded a G20 crackdown on the tech giants in the wake of the live-streamed Christchurch massacre.

He convinced world leaders to push social media companies to root out violent extremist content on their platforms.

Other key issues on the G20 agenda include the health and economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as climate change ahead of the Glasgow summit.

Attendees will include US President Joe Biden, who is set to hold his first face-to-face meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron since the AUKUS defence pact was unveiled.

France responded angrily to the strategic shift that saw Australia dump its French submarine contract to build a nuclear-powered fleet using American technology.

Mr Morrison said he was unlikely to meet Mr Macron one-on-one, as he acknowledged France’s “deep disappointment”.

“We’ve just got to give him a bit of space,” he said.

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