Roundup: Australia still on watch in foreign policy after Trump assumes office

Australia's long awaited Foreign Policy White Paper cannot come soon enough, as politicians attempt to navigate the post-Trump policy thinking.

After reports on Thursday indicated a terse conversation between Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and U.S. President Trump, Turnbull has been beset on all sides with revelations that Trump was stand-offish in his phone conversation with the Australian leader, regarding the refugee deal negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama.

The Washington Post reported that Trump told Turnbull that it was "the worst deal ever" and that Turnbull was trying to export the "next Boston bombers", and went on to hang up on Turnbull before the allotted conversation time was concluded.

Turnbull was quick to go on the defensive, appearing on Sydney radio station 2GB on Thursday to dispute these claims, saying the call was "courteous", and expressed his "surprise and disappointment" that any details of the call would be leaked.

"The suggestion that the President hung up, is not correct." Turnbull said.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop earlier on Thursday delivered the keynote speech at the Goldman Sachs Global Macro Conference in Sydney, and stressed two key issues have reshaped the current geopolitical outlook , those being the Brexit vote last year and the inauguration of Trump.

The foreign minister spoke of Trump as being an "anti-establishment outsider" with a mandate to "drain the swamp" and conceded that Trump's recent actions were nothing less than what his supporters would have expected.

Bishop also noted that a long history of U.S. Presidents throughout the 20th century promoted a "peaceful, predictable global environment, underpinned by a rules-based international order."

However, events in Australia on Thursday, may have had these words take on a different meaning, yet the Government has been quick to dismiss any such claims.

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten however, was adamant that Trump remains "barking mad".

"The American alliance should be stronger than individuals, but it is most important that whoever is in power in Canberra or in the White House, that we treat our allies with respect," Shorten said Thursday.

"If I was Prime Minister, I would want the United States to be our ally, and I'm sure that the Americans want Australia to be their ally, but if I was Prime Minister I would never just be a satellite of the United States, and it is important that Australia speaks its mind."

The foreign minister did highlight possibility of the U.S. losing its "long-term primacy", with the rise of China "militarily and economically", and with the recent growing influence of Russia and Iran in the Middle East.

"A recent publication from the National Security College of the Australian National University, regarding the uncertainty that we face today, is subtitled Don't Panic, Don't Relax'," Bishop said.

"I think that's sage advice when responding to the current geopolitical shifts."

The future of Australia's free trade, forward strategy, was also thrown in doubt last month, with Trump issuing an executive order removing the U.S. from the planned Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), leaving Australia without one of the largest markets, and one of its closest allies, tied to the deal.

But Bishop was quick to reaffirm Australia's as an "avid supporter" of free trade deals, with particular emphasis to Asia, spruiking the "trifecta" of free trade agreements Australia has achieved with China, the Republic of Korea, and Japan.

It is why we have pushed so hard for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and why we remain committed to looking for ways to bring its principles and standards into being," Bishop said.

"It is why we are pursuing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which includes the ASEAN nations and China, as a possible pathway to a free trade agreement of the Asia-Pacific,"

"It is up to us, who understand the benefits of globalization and an open trade and investment environment, to continue to advocate against protectionism in favor of an open trading system."

Australia's Foreign Policy White Paper is set to be released some time later this year. Enditem