Carney Unveils Bold ‘Middle Power’ Plan in Australia
Mark Carney visits Australia to boost trade, defence and Indo-Pacific ties, urging middle powers to unite amid global tensions and trade uncertainty.
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday—the next stop on his Indo-Pacific tour, aimed at increasing investment in Canada and forging new trade alliances.
On the agenda is a meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a leader with whom Carney has much in common.
Carney will also address the Australian Parliament, becoming the first Canadian Prime Minister to do so in nearly 20 years. His remarks are expected to echo the themes of his famous speech in Davos, in which he appealed to "middle powers" to stand together.
The visit follows a four-day visit to India, where Carney signed billions of dollars in deals with Delhi in a major diplomatic breakthrough.
In Australia, Carney's office said the Prime Minister will discuss deepening cooperation on defense and maritime security, essential minerals, trade, and artificial intelligence.
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As with India, much of the Canadian Prime Minister's visit will involve meetings with business leaders and investors "to attract new capital to Canada," his office said. Relations between Canada and Australia stretch back more than a century, based on a shared colonial history and Commonwealth status, as well as ongoing cooperation on security, diplomacy, and trade.
Albanese and Carney have much in common, even as separate leaders.
Both lead center-left parties in their countries, and both owe some of their political success to US President Donald Trump.
Capitalizing on the so-called "Trump effect," the global uncertainty sparked by Trump's second inauguration last year, helped both Carney and Albanese secure historic election victories within a week, as voters saw them as more capable of handling difficult times.
"Canada is one of Australia's closest friends, built on generations of trust, and a shared commitment to maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond," the Australian Prime Minister said in a statement before meeting Carney.
"As our countries face new challenges and opportunities, we must deepen our cooperation with partners to advance our national interests."
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For Carney, this trip represents concrete action following his Davos speech, where he appealed to fellow middle powers to stand together in the face of economic "pressure" from major powers—a message widely seen as a jab at Trump and his tariff policies.
"Middle powers must work together, because if we're not at the negotiating table, we're on the menu," he said.
Carney further stated that countries like Australia and Canada should "develop greater strategic autonomy" to protect their interests.
Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation last month that this speech "aligns" with Australia's view of the current situation.
Before speaking to the Australian Parliament, Carney will deliver a similar talk at the Lowy Institute, a Sydney think tank, on "shifts in the global order and the opportunities they present for middle powers."
In this spirit, Carney and Albanese intend to pursue deals like the one signed in October to strengthen trade and cooperation on essential minerals.
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Canadian government officials told reporters last week that the visit will also include a "defense-focused" stop.
Canada and Australia have collaborated on several military projects, including joint naval deployments in the South China Sea and the use of Australian technology for radar systems in Canada's Arctic region.
The trip comes amid global turmoil following the US attacks on Iran over the weekend. The two leaders will likely discuss the consequences and any impact on their respective countries.
This is also the first meeting between Carney and a fellow Commonwealth leader since the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on February 19.
Prime Minister Albanese has stated that he supports removing the former prince from the line of succession to the British throne. However, Carney has not yet made a public statement on the matter.
Carney will remain in Australia until March 6, first in Sydney and then in Canberra, after which he will travel to Japan for a meeting with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
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