The Dorothy Dixer

The Eric Abetz – Marise Payne Q&A in Parliament last week (11 June), was a self-serving and highly scripted attempt to reassure the electorate that, although they have severely damaged our relationship with China, they have a backup plan: India.

Business will always welcome new trading partners, but neither India nor any other country will replace China overnight. Our relationship with China, and their role as the world’s supermarket, took decades to build. Such relationships are built on trust, and on that point, it is useful to note that many of Modi’s promises to Tony Abbott remain unfulfilled to this day. 

The coalition must now be fair to business and look after the national interest by mending fences, because it is delusional to think we can replace China.

See the video on Twitter.