Bilateral relations
Australia and the United Kingdom (UK) have a deep and enduring partnership, grounded in our shared history, values and interests.
We enjoy a high level of cooperation across a wide range of foreign policy, defence, security, intelligence, trade, climate and economic issues.
We share common values, strong people-to-people links, closely aligned strategic interests, and substantial trade and investment links. The Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement and the UK's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership are opening doors for Australian businesses and strengthening the United Kingdom’s economic engagement across the Indo-Pacific.
Foreign policy
Australia and the UK share an interest in a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region and in upholding the rules, norms and multilateral institutions that underpin our peace, security and prosperity. In these uncertain times, we are strengthening and modernising our relationship to advance our shared interests.
The Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) is the premier bilateral forum on foreign policy, defence, and security issues. AUKMIN is an annual opportunity to drive diplomatic and defence cooperation to address emerging challenges and to shape our shared future together, including in the Indo-Pacific. The United Kingdom hosted the 16th AUKMIN in London in June 2026.
Our AUKUS partnership with the UK and the United States reflects our deep mutual trust and shared strategic interests and remains a top priority. It will bring generational change to our security and strategic engagement, enabling deeper cooperation to ensure we remain a reliable security partner in a more contested region and in support of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
Economic overview
The Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA) is delivering benefits to Australian businesses, creating new well-paying jobs and opening new export opportunities, including for the agriculture sector. Under the FTA, which entered into force on 31 May 2023, there are no tariffs on more than 99 per cent of Australian goods exports to the UK, valued at $21.6 billion. This includes Australian exports of wine, short- and medium-grain rice, honey, nuts, and manufactured products such as auto parts, electrical equipment, and cosmetic products. A-UKFTA delivers enhanced pathways for young Australians and Britons to live and work in each country, including improved arrangements under Australia’s Working Holiday Maker program and the UK’s Youth Mobility Scheme.
Australia welcomed the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in December 2024. CPTPP membership will enhance the UK’s economic engagement in the Indo-Pacific and support our shared interest in promoting regional prosperity.
Australia and the UK cooperate extensively in a range of international economic forums, including the World Trade Organization, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the G20.
Australia and the UK are also cooperating to strengthen supply chains and economic resilience more broadly, including under the Australia-UK Joint Supply Chain Resilience Initiative.
Cooperating to build resilient and secure critical mineral supply chains is a shared priority for Australia and the UK, recognising critical minerals as essential to economic prosperity and national security. In September 2025, leaders agreed for Australia and the UK to strengthen cooperation on critical minerals, including for defence and technology applications. At AUKMIN 2026, Defence Ministers signed a Joint Statement of Intent on collaboration to secure critical minerals supply chains for Defence. Both countries are working closely to to identify UK defence mineral needs and where Australia can support supply through the Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve.
Trade and investment
The UK is Australia’s second-largest source of total stock of foreign investment, worth $626 billion in 2025, and our second-largest destination for total stock of investment abroad – valued at $840 billion in 2025.
The UK is our 5th largest two-way trading partner – with $51.6 billion in goods and services trade in 2025 – as well as our 6th largest export destination and our 9th largest source of imports.
Australia’s principal goods and services exports to the UK are gold, professional and technical business services and recreational travel. Our principal imports from the UK are recreational travel, professional and technical business services and intellectual property charges.
Austrade’s office in the UK works to attract foreign direct investment into Australia and promote the Australian education sector. Austrade can provide access to a range of specialists to assist with market entry and expansion.
Public diplomacy
The Australian High Commission in London manages an active public diplomacy program designed to raise awareness of contemporary Australia in the UK and advance our key policy priorities, including to leverage economic opportunities under the A-UKFTA, drive cooperation on climate change, and embed First Nations perspectives into our foreign policy.
To deliver these objectives, the High Commission continues to build on our strong people-to-people links and collaborates with a range of partners across business, government and higher education to promote Australia as a modern, diverse and innovative society.
Fast facts
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UK visitors to Australia (2025)
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758,300
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Australian visitors to the UK (2025)
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637,480
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Resident Australian population born in UK (2021 census)
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967,390
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Australian residents of UK ancestry (2021 census)
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8.38 million
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UK working holidaymakers (2025-26)
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First working holiday maker (WHM) visas granted – 37,687
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Second year WHM visas granted – 22,522
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Third year WHM visas granted – 16,813.
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UK students in Australia (2025)
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4,9613
High-level visits
To the United Kingdom
- September 2026: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence the Hon Richard Marles MP.
- July 2026: Governor-General HE the Hon Sam Mostyn AC.
- June 2026: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles MP and Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator the Hon Penny Wong for the 16th AUKMIN.
February 2026: Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery and Minister for Pacific Island Affairs, the Hon Pat Conroy MP for the Australia United Kingdom Defence Industry Dialogue (AUKDID). - September 2025: Prime Minister the Hon Anthony Albanese MP.
- June 2025: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP.
- December 2024: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Marles and Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator the Hon Penny Wong for the 14th AUKMIN.
- October 2024: Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery and Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP.
- September 2024: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP for the third AUKUS Defence Ministers’ Meeting.
- July 2024: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP.
- November 2023: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence the Hon Richard Marles MP, Minister for Industry and Science the Hon Ed Husic MP for the AI Safety Summit.
- September 2023: Minister for Resources and Minister for Northern Australia the Hon Madeleine King MP.
- May 2023: Governor-General HE the Hon David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) and Prime Minister the Hon Anthony Albanese MP for the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III.
- February 2023: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Marles and Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator the Hon Penny Wong for the 12th AUKMIN.
- February 2023: Minister for Defence Industry and International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP.
To Australia
- July 2025: Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs the Rt Hon David Lammy MP and Secretary of State for Defence the Rt Hon John Healey MP for the 15th AUKMIN.
- June 2025: Minister of State (Indo-Pacific) Catherine West MP.
- March 2024: Then-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs the Rt Hon Lord Cameron and then-Secretary of State for Defence the Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP for the 13th AUKMIN.
- December 2023: Then- Minister of State (Indo-Pacific) the Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP.
- October 2023: Then-Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Exports) Lord Offord of Garvel.
- September 2023: Then-Minister of State (Indo-Pacific) the Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan.
- August 2023: Then-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, then-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC MP, and then-Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
- July 2023: Then-Secretary of State for Business and Trade the Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP.
- January 2023: Speaker of the House of Commons The Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
Agreements with the United Kingdom
- Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement
- Bilateral AUKUS (Geelong) Treaty
- Defence and Security Cooperation Treaty
- International Tax Agreement
- Reciprocal Health Care Agreement
- Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters
- UK-Australia FinTech Bridge
- UK-Australia Clean Technology Partnership
- Australia-UK Nuclear Cooperation
- Agreement on Trade in Wine
- Mutual Recognition Agreements
Contacts
Australian High Commission in the United Kingdom
Australia House
The Strand
London WC 2B 4LA
United Kingdom
Tel: (+44) 20 7379 4334
Website: https://uk.embassy.gov.au/
British High Commission in Australia
Commonwealth Avenue, Yarralumla, ACT 2600
Tel: (+612) 6270 6666
Website: www.gov.uk/world/australia