“Everyone should be able to trust me.” The prime minister would not be drawn on whether he’ll offer a formal apology to the French president. | RobHarris_SMH auspol
Anthony Albanese says a personal meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron will offer “a new dawn” on Franco-Australian relations and help restore trust in the long-standing partnership.
“President Macron wants to have a good relationship with Australia, and Australia wants to have a good relationship with him,” Albanese said. Macron told this masthead: “I don’t think, I know” when asked if he thought Morrison had lied to him in his handling of the issue. Some ministers of his party insisted France was “betrayed”, “stabbed in the back” and “deceived”. Morrison said in reply that he had “broad shoulders” but he would not cop “sledging” of Australia’s integrity.