McGowan rails against Trump, rates locking Eddie McGuire out of WA as a political highlight

3 hours ago 2

Former West Australian Premier Mark McGowan says locking football commentator Eddie McGuire out of the state was a highlight of his political career before he delivered a scathing assessment of the Trump administration during a rare public appearance.

Speaking alongside former Coalition Foreign Minister Julie Bishop at the Property Council’s national congress in Perth on Wednesday, McGowan was asked by the council’s national chief executive Mike Zorbas what his favourite moment in politics was.

Former WA Premier Mark McGowan has quipped one of his favourite political moments was locking Eddie McGuire out of the AFL grand final when it was held in Perth during the pandemic.

McGowan said it was locking Eddie McGuire out of WA during COVID-19 when the state hosted the AFL Grand Final. He joked if he had his time again, he would’ve made the McGuire ban permanent.

“I got the trifecta,” he quipped, referring to keeping McGuire, TV personality David Koch and former Prime Minister Scott Morrison out of the state when borders were closed during the pandemic.

Bishop said a highlight of her political career was when she became President of the UN Security Council in September 2013.

“I as Foreign Minister was sworn in early so I could go over to the UN and take the presidency. And I want to tell you, I’ve never been more proud to be Australian than sitting there,” she said.

Both McGowan and Bishop were also asked about the Trump administration’s impact on foreign policy.

Bishop said President Trump had abandoned the values and morals-based foreign policy that had dominated US administrations since the first and second world wars in favour of an interest-based policy.

“American diplomats tell me that when they apply for foreign aid or international development assistance for a country, they must prove to the State Department that this funding will be in America’s interest and that will make America stronger, safer and more prosperous,” she said.

“So what you see nations around the world doing is seeking to identify America’s core interests, and then they are able to predict what actions President Trump will take.”

Property Council boss Mike Zorbas leading a panel with Julie Bishop and Mark McGowan.

Bishop predicted this type of foreign policy would continue for years to come if republicans held the house and senate in the midterms and won the next presidential election.

“It’s how other nations deal with this changing dynamic that will be of interest to our region and, of course, to Australia,” she said.

McGowan referred to the crowd at the WWE in Perth booing the US national anthem at the weekend as a demonstration of Trump’s impact on the global standing of the United States.

“This is a WWE crowd. They normally were sort of more Trump-style people,” he said.

“So I think what’s happening within that is all these sorts of tariffs and the attacks on friends and the attacks on traditional allies, and a sort of really abrasive and rude style has damaged America’s standing around the world.

“I don’t know if that will be able to be repaired. I don’t know if America wants to repair it.

“They don’t really seem to care too much about that, but I think that has long-term consequences.”

McGowan said Trump’s foreign policy had seen the rise of copycat leaders in other countries.

Asked about McGowan’s, comments Bishop quipped: “I would’ve said that, but I’m a diplomat.”

After retiring from politics in May 2023, citing exhaustion, McGowan has since taken on a bevy of new roles including alongside former Coalition Treasurer Joe Hockey at his advisory firm Bondi Partners and advising BHP and Mineral Resources.

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