Australia spared Trump tariff letter as Ley says Albanese should secure special deal
Australia has been spared a letter from the Trump administration demanding countries cut trade barriers to US goods as the White House prepares to reinstate its 'Liberation Day' tariffs, but has not secured a UK-style exemption to increased steel and aluminium import taxes.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley pushed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to get the same treatment for Australia that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer won for UK steel to prevent it from being subject to a 50 per cent tariff in the US, saying the opposition would work with the government to make it happen.
'President [Donald] Trump's tariffs on our steelmakers are not in the spirit of our century-old partnership and we urge the Americans to give Australia a fair go and remove them,' Ley said.
Trade Minister Don Farrell met his US counterpart Jamieson Greer in Paris overnight as Albanese prepares to hold his first meeting with Trump later this month. The meeting is expected to be dominated by Trump's tariff war and US requests for its allies to boost defence spending.
The United States Trade Representative, the office primarily responsible for trade matters, sent a letter to countries asking them to provide their best offer for a trade deal by Wednesday, US time.
The Trump administration confirmed the missive, which was first reported by Reuters.
The letter suggests fresh urgency from the Trump administration as it looks to settle trade deals with partners ahead of July 8, which is when the 90-day 'pause' on Trump's so-called reciprocal tariffs expires.
An Australian government spokeswoman said Australia did not receive the letter because it was only sent to nations with a higher tariff rate than the baseline 10 per cent rate.
'Australia is in the lowest 'baseline' tariff tier of 10 per cent,' she said. 'As such, the US administration has confirmed Australia has not been sent a letter.
'We continue to engage with the US on our trade interests. Trade Minister Farrell met with his US counterpart today in Paris and pressed for the removal of unjustified tariffs imposed on Australian goods.'
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