Why the UK should be gunning for a trade deal Down Under

It might seem a minor matter compared with Brexit, but a trade agreement with Australia is a big deal

A kangaroo on abeach © Alamy
A more important trading partner than he seems © Alamy
(Image credit: A kangaroo on abeach © Alamy)

It is only the 14th largest economy in the world. It is almost 10,000 miles away. And it mainly specialises in mining, with some sheep farming on the side. As official talks start, many will dismiss a trade deal with Australia as nothing more than a minor side-show of interest only to a few swivel-eyed Brexiteers intent on recreating the Empire. That is a mistake.

A gateway to the East

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Matthew Lynn

Matthew Lynn is a columnist for Bloomberg, and writes weekly commentary syndicated in papers such as the Daily Telegraph, Die Welt, the Sydney Morning Herald, the South China Morning Post and the Miami Herald. He is also an associate editor of Spectator Business, and a regular contributor to The Spectator. Before that, he worked for the business section of the Sunday Times for ten years. 

He has written books on finance and financial topics, including Bust: Greece, The Euro and The Sovereign Debt Crisis and The Long Depression: The Slump of 2008 to 2031. Matthew is also the author of the Death Force series of military thrillers and the founder of Lume Books, an independent publisher.