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Australia–Qatar relations

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Australia-Qatar relations
Map indicating locations of Australia and Qatar

Australia
Qatar
Monthly value of Australian merchandise exports to Qatar (A$ millions) since 1988
Monthly value of Qatari merchandise exports to Australia (A$ millions) since 1988

Bilateral relations exist between the Commonwealth of Australia and the state of Qatar. There are 3,000 Australians in Qatar.[1][2]In 2012, Qatar opened an embassy in Canberra, Australia and an Ambassador to Qatar and the UAE was appointed, the first time an Ambassador to Qatar has been appointed. In 2016, Australia opened an embassy in Doha, Qatar.[3] The Australian ambassador to Qatar is Shane Flanagan.[4][5]

Qatar and Australia are major rivals in the LNG industry,[1] and the relationship is currently in a state of tension. Diplomatic relations between the two countries deteriorated significantly since 2020 after Qatar-government directed strip searches in Hamad International Airport affected thirteen Australian women who were transiting the country in October 2020. In 2021, after the International Olympic Committee announced the Australian city of Brisbane as the preferred host of the 2032 Summer Olympics, Qatar attempted to dispute Australia’s victorious bid, criticising both Australian officials and the IOC about the decision-making process, with Qatar’s challenge ultimately being unsuccessful.[3][2]Relations further deteriorated after the Australian Government's blocking of an expansion plan by Qatar Airways in July 2023 on national interest grounds, with the 2020 airport strip searches cited as one of the reasons for the rejection.[6]

In October 2024, it was revealed that in July 2023, an Australian Government staffer transiting Qatar accidentally left a bag containing confidential cabinet documents on an Indian airliner after disembarking at Doha's Hamad Airport. The documents were allegedly not related to the Australian Government’s then-impending denial of Qatar Airways’ Australian expansion plan in a week’s time.[7] The staffer realised the mistake within “minutes” and the aircraft was yet to leave Doha.[7] However a search on the aircraft revealed that the briefcase was missing, and the airport’s lost property office advised the staffer that they did not have the bag.[7] This raised the possibility that it was potentially stolen by an individual or group linked to the Qatari Government with the documents compromised and currently in the hands of Qatari government officials. Australia’s embassy in Qatar was notified and Qatar is yet to respond to the allegations.[8] At a press conference in Sydney on 4 October 2024, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese refused to comment on whether Australia’s national security was compromised.[9]

Investment

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Up to 2017, Hassad Food, which is an investment arm of the Qatar Investment Authority, had invested more than $500 million to buy prime agricultural land in Australia, to own 3,000 square kilometres, with five properties in New South Wales, one in Victoria, one in Queensland, three in South Australia and three in Western Australia.

On 1 October 2024, Qatar Airways, wholly owned by the Qatari Government, announced its intentions to purchase a 25% "cornerstone" stake in Virgin Australia.[10] According to Australia's metric regarding foreign investment in critical services, the proposed investment by Qatar Airways is substantial to a level where it could be against Australia's national interest, hence requires screening and approval by Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board, and the transaction can ultimately be blocked by the Treasurer of Australia.[11]

2020 airport incident

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On 2 October 2020, thirteen Australian female passengers aboard a Qatar Airways flight to Sydney from Hamad International Airport in Doha were forced to deplane before takeoff, and were subsequently strip searched and "subjected to an invasive internal examination" against their will. This was alleged prompted by the discovery of a newborn baby in an airport bathroom.[12] This evolved into a diplomatic incident between Australia and Qatar with Australian foreign minister Marise Payne stating "the treatment of the women concerned was offensive, grossly inappropriate, and beyond circumstances in which the women could give free and informed consent".[13] However, Qatar promptly and vehemently voiced its disapproval of the incident, with Qatari officials issuing multiple apologies soon after the event took place.[14] Moreover, the Federal Court of Australia ruled in favor of dismissing the case, as it determined that the searches did not occur on a Qatar Airways aircraft nor were conducted by the airline's staff.[15]

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As of July 2023 Qatar Airways, the flag carrier airline of Qatar has services to and from Hamad International Airport in Doha to five Australian cities. In July 2023, Qatar Airways was denied additional capacity to Australia on national interest grounds.[16]

Humanitarian Assistance

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After terrorist organisation Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, the Australian Government was working towards bringing back Australians stranded in war-torn Israel back home, with the Royal Australian Air Force and Australian flag carrier Qantas operating free and dedicated rescue flights out of Israel on behalf of the government.[17] However, in a surprising turn of events, Qatar Airways also offered help to evacuate stranded Australians in Israel. While Qatar’s flight QR7424 played an important role by providing dedicated rescue services to some 222 Australians who were trying to escape Israel, this move was seen as iniquitous due to Qatar Airways' owner, the state of Qatar, being a large state sponsor of Hamas and other terrorist organisations. It was also viewed as a deceitful publicity stunt by Qatar Airways in an attempt to garner support from the Australian public after Qatar Airways was denied extra capacity into Australia three months prior on national interest grounds.[18][19]

Furthermore, in the same month, Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, HE Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater, and Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, HE Tim Watts, engaged in discussions regarding bilateral cooperation. The talks also covered developments in the Gaza Strip and strategies for collaborative humanitarian aid efforts in the region.

In November 2023, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Penny Wong stressed the need for coordinated regional and global diplomatic actions to secure an urgent ceasefire and permanent access through the Rafah border crossing. This is vital to maintain the steady delivery of relief supplies and humanitarian aid to the distressed Palestinian community in Gaza. Qatar's deep apprehension regarding the severe humanitarian crisis in the region was also highlighted, along with gratitude for Qatar's ongoing humanitarian initiatives in Gaza.[20]

In March 2024, Australian Ambassador HE Shane Flanagan praised Qatar for its mediation endeavors in achieving a ceasefire in Gaza.[21]

In May 2024, Qatar strongly condemned the Israeli military's assaults on Rafah and called for swift international intervention to avert additional harm, safeguard civilians, and uphold global legal standards.[22] Additionally, Australia expressed solidarity with Qatar's call for a humanitarian truce to facilitate the release of captives and enable unimpeded aid delivery, while also voicing staunch disapproval of any potential ground incursion in Rafah, stated by Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia.[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Australia's LNG success may be at risk – GIS Reports". 17 August 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b Team, Doha News (7 March 2021). "Qatar 'committed' to 2032 Olympics bid despite controversial IOC pick". Doha News | Qatar. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Controversial city launches bid to steal 2032 Olympics from Brisbane". 7NEWS. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Amir receives credentials of five new ambassadors". Gulf Times. 17 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Ambassador to Qatar". Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  6. ^ Visontay, Elias; Canales, Sarah Basford; Transport, Elias Visontay; reporter, urban affairs (7 September 2023). "Catherine King says treatment of women was 'a factor' in Qatar Airways decision". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Galloway, Anthony (3 October 2024). "Cabinet documents went missing at Doha airport ahead of Labor's Qatar decision". Capital Brief. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  8. ^ McDuling, John (3 October 2024). "Lost in transit". Capital Brief. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Doorstop interview - Sydney | Prime Minister of Australia". www.pm.gov.au. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Qatar Airways to take 25% stake in Virgin Australia - Executive Traveller". www.executivetraveller.com. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Qatar Airways to take 25% stake in Virgin Australia - Executive Traveller". www.executivetraveller.com. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  12. ^ Albeck-Ripka, Livia; Zhuang, Yan (26 October 2020). "Women on Qatar Airways Flight Strip-Searched, Sparking Outrage in Australia". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  13. ^ Women on flight from Qatar to Australia reportedly internally examined on tarmac after premature baby found in Doha airport bathroom
  14. ^ "Qatar's airport strip-searching incident shocked Australia. Here's what we know". ABC News. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  15. ^ Guy, Jack (11 April 2024). "Qatar Airlines avoids Australian lawsuit over forced invasive examinations of women". CNN. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  16. ^ Visontay, Elias; Transport, Elias Visontay; reporter, urban affairs (3 August 2023). "Approving more Qatar Airways flights to Australia would go against 'national interest', government says". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  17. ^ Hurst, Daniel; affairs, Daniel Hurst Foreign; correspondent, defence (11 October 2023). "Qantas to help repatriate Australians from Israel starting Friday". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 July 2024. {{cite news}}: |last3= has generic name (help)
  18. ^ https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Fnews%2Fnsw%2Fqatar-offers-to-bring-australians-home-from-war-torn-israel%2Fnews-story%2Fa54c9780b37e3263fd8ffd88f4591878&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=GROUPA-Segment-1-NOSCORE [bare URL]
  19. ^ "'Every boom, you feel it': Australians describe Israel terror amid emotional airport reunions". www.9news.com.au. 18 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  20. ^ Tribune, Qatar (15 November 2023). "Australian FM thanks Qatar for Gaza efforts". Qatar Tribune. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  21. ^ Tribune, Qatar; Siddiqui, Ashraf (28 March 2024). "Australian ambassador praises Qatar's mediation efforts for ceasefire in Gaza". Qatar Tribune. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  22. ^ "Qatar calls for 'urgent international action' to prevent Israeli invasion of Rafah". Voice of America. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  23. ^ "Senator Penny Wong statement".
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