WT/MIN(22)/ST/85  
12 June 2022  
(22-4522) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT BY SENATOR THE HON . DON FARRELL  
MINISTER FOR TRADE AND TOURISM  
AUSTRALIA  
I would like to start by thanking our Chair for these proceedings, His Excellency Mr Suleimenov, my 
fellow Vice -Chairs and of course the Director -General, Dr Okonjo -Iweala.  
 
I am pleased to speak to you as Australia 's new Minister for Trade and Tourism.  
 
None of us could have predicted the disruptions – to our health, to our economies, to global security, 
to our trade – that we have seen since the last Ministerial Conference in 2017.  
 
As we all seek to respond to and recover from the impacts of the pandemic , the rules -based order 
is facing pressure from growing geopolitical instability and strategic competition. This Conference is 
an opportunity for the WTO to play a part in demonstrating that international rules matter.  
 
The Australian government believes t rade has been a great enabler.  Trade has lifted hundreds of 
millions of people out of poverty and built and sustained relationships between countries.  
 
But we must not take for granted the benefits of trade, and the global system that enables it.  
 
An effec tive WTO is essential to the open, rules -based global trading system that underpins 
Australia 's and the world 's economic prosperity.  
 
The world is watching, and waiting for us to deliver this week.  
 
Since the onset of the pandemic, Australia and other Members of the WTO have been working 
together so that trade and trade rules can support Members in their response and recovery. It is 
imperative that we deliver on those efforts now.  I urge all Members to do what it takes to finalise a 
meaningful multilate ral pandemic response at MC12 which includes a TRIPS waiver.  
 
In the midst of the worst food security crisis in decades, agriculture remains the most protected and 
distorted sector in the world. More transparent and predictable trade flows are crucial to ensuring 
access to food and essential agricultural products. Australia will work with you all, including in our 
role as Chair of the Cairns Group, to continue efforts to reform agriculture rules, including on 
domestic subsidies. It is vital we secure a bal anced outcome on agriculture – one that addresses 
long-term challenges including trade -distorting agricultural subsidies, and food security.  
 
We must conclude the long -overdue negotiations to effectively discipline harmful fisheries subsidies. 
We are clos er to a solution than we have ever been. If we fail to conclude these negotiations, we 
will undermine not only the environment but also people 's livelihoods.  
 
Australia strongly believes we must continue efforts to reform the WTO so that it better serves t he 
interests of all Members.  This institution has served us well, but it must evolve to meet the challenges 
we face in 2022 and those of the future.  We should commit to WTO reform, including to restore a 
fully and well -functioning dispute settlement system  by the next time we meet at MC13.  
 
Re-vitalising rule -making in the WTO is a crucial part of its reform.  Australia is a strong supporter of 
plurilateral rulemaking where multilateral outcomes are not possible.  WT/MIN( 22)/ST/ 85 
 
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  The Services Domestic Regulation Joint State ment Initiative is a concrete example of WTO reform 
in action.  Agreeing the first new WTO services rules in 25 years, among participants accounting for 
90% of global trade, is a significant win. We want to build on this success by broadening participation 
to more WTO Members.  
 
We are seeking to replicate this success in other initiatives, including the Investment Facilitation and 
the E -commerce Joint Statement Initiatives.  Success in the e -commerce negotiations will establish 
the first global digital trade rules among 86 participants, representing over 90 % of global trade.  
 
The importance of digital trade during and following the disruptions caused by the pandemic 
underscores the need to continue the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions. 
We will work with you to realise that goal.  
 
It's also important to look ahead at MC12 to other important areas of the WTO 's work, such as on 
gender, the environment, and climate change – as they relate to trade.   
 
We want to progress and expand the work of the Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender. 
Australia supports  identifying ways to advance gender equality and women 's economic 
empowerment in trade, and to mainstream gender in Aid -for-Trade activities.   
 
We also support the work of the Informal Working Group on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises 
(MSMEs). MSMEs hav e been some of the hardest hit firms in the current pandemic particularly in 
the retail and tourism sectors. Increasing trade opportunities for them will support economic 
recovery everywhere.  
 
I am pleased to reiterate the Albanese Government 's commitment  to addressing sustainability and 
climate change. I look forward to working with you all on these issues in the WTO. Australia will 
actively support the WTO Joint Initiatives on trade and environment –to explore ways to liberalise 
environmental goods and s ervices trade and address plastic pollution, environmentally harmful 
subsidies and trade -related climate challenges.  
 
Make no mistake, this Conference matters.   
 
It matters because global trade underpins the stability and prosperity of our economies, our 
communities, our businesses, our workers and our environment.  
 
It matters because the rules -based order is being undermined by a range of challenges and the WTO 
can reinforce that order . 
 
The decisions we make here at MC12 can support us all, and the rules-based system that we all 
benefit from.   
 
As Trade Minister of Australia, Chair of the Cairns Group, and Vice Chair of this Conference, I assure 
you Australia is committed to achieving meaningful outcomes this week. I look forward to working 
with you all to get this important job done.  
 
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