Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has asked US President Donald Trump to exempt Australia from his new tariffs regime in a ‘lengthy and substantial’ phone call overnight.
It comes just weeks after Australia was hit with a new 12.5 per cent tariff, after a US Trade Representative alleged Australia had ‘inadequately enforced bans on goods produced by forced labour’.
‘The ask that I made of the President is that he consider (a) full exemption or, at the very least, no increase, which is where we’ve been subject to the 12.5 per cent tariff,’ Albanese said at a press conference on Friday morning.
‘I informed him about our record when it comes to dealing with issues such as modern slavery, the strengthening that we have put forward to look and hold companies accountable for the supply chain process.
‘We have a different position when it comes to tariffs. Our position as a government is that tariffs and economic imposition are cost on the countries that are imposing them, and we support free and fair trade. The president, of course, has a different position that he’s expressed many times.’
Albanese said Trump agreed that he would give consideration to his request.
The PM also confirmed he would be travelling to the United States twice this year to attend the United Nations in New York and the G20 summit in Florida.
The leaders also spoke about a range of other issues such as the Iran war, Australia’s new alliances across the Asia-Pacific and rising fuel prices.
Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump have spoken on the phone overnight
Trump imposed the blanket levies after the US Supreme Court struck down his biggest and boldest tariffs in a landmark ruling in February
‘We did and continue to say that Iran shouldn’t be allowed to have nuclear weapons. We’ve seen with Iran’s behavior during this war, where they have not just engaged with the United States and Israel, but have launched attacks on a range of countries in the region, including the UAE,’ he said.
‘I was able to outline to the president as well Australia’s contribution, including the E7A aircraft and the other assistance that we’ve given to the UAE. It is having an impact on Australia and indeed on the global economy. The president expressed his confidence going forward.’
It marks the first call between the two leaders since March.
More to come.
