Australia rejects French President Macron’s accusation Morrison has ‘reputation for lying’

Australian Treasury Minister Joshua Anthony Frydenberg on Wednesday reacted sharply to France’s Emmanuel Macron’s allegations that Prime Minister Scott Morrison lied about the nuclear submarine contract’s withdrawal. Frydenberg on November 3 asserted that he believed Morrison had “never lied” to France about the defense agreement withdrawal, adding that he disagreed with the accusations that Morrison “had a reputation for lying” as suggested by French President Macron.

“Obviously, we reject his [Malcolm Turnbull] leveled accusations, including the President of France,” Frydenberg told Sky News, Australia. His remarks came after Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Australian reporters that unlike his predecessor Turnbull, he will "treat all former Prime Ministers with respect,” expressing objection to being called “a liar.” 

As Morrison, currently in Dubai, was en route to Australia after attending the COP26 summit in Glasgow when he was asked by the Australian reporters to comment about Turnbull’s stance, also being informed about French President Macron’s recent statement. "Australia made the decision not to go ahead with the contract for a submarine that was not going to do the job that Australia needed to do, and I'll never make any apologies for that decision,” Morrison told reporters of Nine news TV network. "As you know, I always treat all former Prime Ministers with respect, and I'm going to continue to do that,” he said in response to Turnbull’s accusations. 

Morrison has 'personal history of lying,' ex-Australian PM joins Macron in rebuke

Controversy brewed after former Australian leader Turnbull said that the Prime Minister had a “personal history of lying.” He went on to add, "Oh, he's lied to me on many occasions,” when asked about his opinion on the French submarine row on national TV. "I mean there are quite a few examples in my book, but he's — Scott has always had a reputation for telling lies,” he said in broadcasted remarks on air, accusing the Liberal Party leader of disingenuous behaviour. 

In a fresh charge with respect to the ongoing AUKUS defence pact row, Macron appeared to accuse Morrison of lying over a cancelled submarine deal that caused diplomatic trouble between the two countries. Australia enraged France after it unilaterally scrapped a submarine contract worth more than £40 billion in September in favour of a three-way pact with the US and Britain. When asked by the reporters at the G20 summit in Rome whether he thought the Australian leader had betrayed France about the AUKUS alliance, Macron replied that the leaders must treat each other with “respect”, adding quickly,  “I don’t think so. I know.” 

(IMAGE: AP)