Anthony Albanese has vowed to raise Australia’s objections to Donald Trump’s new 12.5 per cent tariffs “at every level”, declaring the measure as “unjustified”.
The Trump administration announced on Friday Australia would be among 60 economies hit with fresh tariffs on exports to the US, arguing the countries have failed to do enough to prevent goods made with forced labour from entering their supply chains.
But the Prime Minister said Australia had strong laws to prevent fored labour in supply chains and rejected the basis for the tariffs.
“We have very strong provisions on modern slavery, we’re strengthening those even further by going through the supply chain issues and making sure that, indeed, substantial fines and penalties can be paid if those issues aren’t dealt with,” he said in an ABC Insiders interview with host David Speers.
Mr Albanese declared his government would continue to lobby against the United States after the Trump administration said it would impose the new tariffs effective Friday.
“These are unjustified,” the Prime Minister said.
“We’ll raise it at every level of the Australia US relationship. We’ve already done so. These are unjustified.”
The Prime Minister said pushing back against the tariffs would essential to avoid rising costs and keep the two nation’s relationship strong.
“This will lead to higher costs in the United States and undermine the trading relationship that we have with our US friends.” he added.
“And, of course, the US has enjoyed a trade surplus with Australia for such a long period of time, something that we will continue to point out.”
On the topic of Mr Trump, My Albanese said his government did not have any plans to extend the fuel tax relief amid rising oil prices, instead spruiking Labor’s impact on managing fuel supplies.
“Well, that’s not in our planning at this point in time,” he said when asked if the temporary excise would be extended ahead of its expiration on August 2.
“We live in really turbulent times, but what our government has managed to do, and some said it was impossible, some said that there would need to be fuel rationing around Easter.
“There is now more fuel in Australia today than there was on February 28th.”
The Brent price of crude oil has now surged to $US91 a barrel ($130), the highest price since June 11, in the days before the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding that has since collapsed, leading to ships being stranded again in the Strait of Hormuz.
Average Australian capital city unleaded prices soared by 18 cents to $1.70 a litre in the first fortnight of July after the fuel relief was tapered, but in parts of Sydney and Perth, motorists are now paying $1.75 a litre for basic E10 petrol.
Higher octane 98 premium unleaded is selling for $2.25 a litre again in parts of Melbourne.
Equivalent diesel prices rose by 19 cents to $1.93 a litre in the two weeks to July 15, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission data showed, but in parts of Sydney, premium diesel is now selling for $2.27 a litre.
Mr Albanese also said an agreement over the US-Iran war needs to be settled so the Strait of Hormuz can reopen.
“We want to see a de-escalation, we want to see an end of the conflict,” he said.
“We want to see the Strait of Hormuz opened without fees going through because that would undermine international trade.”
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