Latest news with #Australia-US
West Australian
2 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Coalition ‘ready to work with' Labor on Trump tariff deal, Sussan Ley says
Sussan Ley says she is 'ready to work with' Labor to get a US tariff carve out after Donald Trump doubled duties on steel and aluminium. The US President signed an executive order on Tuesday afternoon (Washington time), raising the levies from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, following through on his vow to do so last week. Only the UK was spared from the new imposts due to a deal inked in May. The tariffs have effectively blocked Australian-made steel from the US market. Reacting to the order on Wednesday, the Opposition Leader said Australia's inclusion was 'not in the spirit' of the Australia-US alliance. 'We note that the United Kingdom has been able to secure an exemption from the latest American steel tariffs and we stand ready to work with the Albanese government to ensure Australia can achieve the same outcome,' Ms Ley said in a statement. 'President 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. 'The Coalition wants the government to succeed here because that is in our national interest.' Analysts have questioned the merits of the UK's deal, which has still not come into effect. While it was not included in the latest round, British steel and aluminium have been slugged with the original 25 per cent tariffs. The White House has also said it would slap a quota on UK imports. In exchange, the British government gave US firms greater access to parts of the UK economy, including its agricultural industry. Mr Trump included Australia in the blanket tariffs in March after telling Anthony Albanese an exemption was 'under consideration'. Australia was also hit with 10 per cent levies on most goods as part of Mr Trump's 'Liberation Day' imposts. The Prime Minister said on Tuesday he would raise the duties when he meets the US leader on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada later this month. Mr Albanese said it was 'an act of economic self-harm, and it's not the act of a friend, and this just pushes up prices for American purchasers and consumers'. NewsWire understands the details of the leaders' first face-to-face have not been set but both sides expect them to meet. The Albanese government said a deal was before the Trump administration and the ball was in Washington's court.
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
The US's biggest export? Trump's MAGA mindset
And, says Green, of all the issues in the Australia-US alliance, 'this is the one I worry about most. It's possible it will be flagged in the forthcoming human rights report and it's possible it will be raised by the US Trade Representative in trade negotiations because Meta doesn't like it'. Loading Australia should brace for it. The US has already raised online regulation with Britain in trade negotiations: 'A review of online safety rules [is] on the table in trade talks with the US,' UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told parliament last month. Rubio says it's an Oval Office priority in dealing with foreign leaders: 'That's a new thing for us to have to raise in [European] capitals, but we do it and we do it everywhere,' he said last month. 'And I personally witnessed the president and the vice president raise it with multiple foreign leaders. And I think you're going to continue to see an emphasis on that in our diplomacy and what we talk about.' In Trump's worldview, nations have no right to protect their children against online suicide coaching and other harms. We are supposed to meekly submit our children to be exploited by any US corporation that might choose to do so. The publication of the State Department's annual report on worldwide human rights abuses has been delayed so that the concept can be redefined. For instance, the forthcoming report will delete criticism of 'countries that tolerate violence against transgender people or engage in serious government corruption', the Washington Post reported. Trump told an audience in Saudi Arabia that he was going to end American 'lectures' to foreign governments on human rights. His Office of Natural Rights does intend to lecture other countries, however. It'll just be using a different definition of 'rights' to the one that the US has been applying since World War II. This was satirised by an unnamed American diplomat quoted in Politico last week: 'Forget Russia's torture and killing of Ukrainians, let's focus on the real threat like UK's laws against hate speech'. What are natural rights, according to Trump? One gauge is to define what they oppose. 'Digital censorship, mass migration, restrictions on religious freedom, and numerous other assaults on democratic self-governance,' according to a Trump appointment to the State Department, Simon Samson. Samson, described as a senior adviser, is 26. But the better definition probably is that natural rights are whatever Trump wants them to be. Loading Trump and crew have a special fascination with Europe. It started with MAGA, but they're intent now on MEGA – Make Europe Great Again. The US news site Axios on the weekend published a piece headlined 'MAGA Invasion'. It summarised half a dozen recent elections in Europe where Trump's administration and his MAGA allies have taken sides. In the case of Poland, a NATO ally, Trump anointed the right-wing nationalist and Eurosceptic candidate Karol Nawrocki by inviting him to the Oval Office last month. Last week, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem travelled to Warsaw and urged Poles to vote for him: 'He needs to be the next president of Poland'. She denounced his rival as an 'absolute train wreck'. Nawrocki won on Monday with 50.9 per cent of the vote. Then there's Romania, another NATO ally. J.D. Vance and Elon Musk lashed the country's constitutional court when it annulled November's presidential election result. The court found the victorious candidate – far-right and anti-NATO – had benefited from Russian interference. In a re-run, MAGA lieutenants such as Steve Bannon endorsed the new right-wing candidate, who ultimately lost to his centre-left rival. In Britain, Trump has allied closely with Reform's Nigel Farage, the man who led the country to Brexit. Reform today is leading in the polls; Farage claims he has supplanted the Conservatives as the alternative government of the UK. Trump hasn't taken sides in the politics of America's Indo-Pacific allies. Yet. But Steve Bannon last week broadcast an endorsement of the conservative candidate in South Korea's snap presidential election to be held today (Tuesday). The election will decide the replacement for Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed after declaring martial law six months ago. During the Cold War and beyond, America promoted American values abroad – when it suited. So that hasn't changed. But American values have changed. They are now Donald Trump's values.
The Age
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Age
The US's biggest export? Trump's MAGA mindset
And, says Green, of all the issues in the Australia-US alliance, 'this is the one I worry about most. It's possible it will be flagged in the forthcoming human rights report and it's possible it will be raised by the US Trade Representative in trade negotiations because Meta doesn't like it'. Loading Australia should brace for it. The US has already raised online regulation with Britain in trade negotiations: 'A review of online safety rules [is] on the table in trade talks with the US,' UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told parliament last month. Rubio says it's an Oval Office priority in dealing with foreign leaders: 'That's a new thing for us to have to raise in [European] capitals, but we do it and we do it everywhere,' he said last month. 'And I personally witnessed the president and the vice president raise it with multiple foreign leaders. And I think you're going to continue to see an emphasis on that in our diplomacy and what we talk about.' In Trump's worldview, nations have no right to protect their children against online suicide coaching and other harms. We are supposed to meekly submit our children to be exploited by any US corporation that might choose to do so. The publication of the State Department's annual report on worldwide human rights abuses has been delayed so that the concept can be redefined. For instance, the forthcoming report will delete criticism of 'countries that tolerate violence against transgender people or engage in serious government corruption', the Washington Post reported. Trump told an audience in Saudi Arabia that he was going to end American 'lectures' to foreign governments on human rights. His Office of Natural Rights does intend to lecture other countries, however. It'll just be using a different definition of 'rights' to the one that the US has been applying since World War II. This was satirised by an unnamed American diplomat quoted in Politico last week: 'Forget Russia's torture and killing of Ukrainians, let's focus on the real threat like UK's laws against hate speech'. What are natural rights, according to Trump? One gauge is to define what they oppose. 'Digital censorship, mass migration, restrictions on religious freedom, and numerous other assaults on democratic self-governance,' according to a Trump appointment to the State Department, Simon Samson. Samson, described as a senior adviser, is 26. But the better definition probably is that natural rights are whatever Trump wants them to be. Loading Trump and crew have a special fascination with Europe. It started with MAGA, but they're intent now on MEGA – Make Europe Great Again. The US news site Axios on the weekend published a piece headlined 'MAGA Invasion'. It summarised half a dozen recent elections in Europe where Trump's administration and his MAGA allies have taken sides. In the case of Poland, a NATO ally, Trump anointed the right-wing nationalist and Eurosceptic candidate Karol Nawrocki by inviting him to the Oval Office last month. Last week, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem travelled to Warsaw and urged Poles to vote for him: 'He needs to be the next president of Poland'. She denounced his rival as an 'absolute train wreck'. Nawrocki won on Monday with 50.9 per cent of the vote. Then there's Romania, another NATO ally. J.D. Vance and Elon Musk lashed the country's constitutional court when it annulled November's presidential election result. The court found the victorious candidate – far-right and anti-NATO – had benefited from Russian interference. In a re-run, MAGA lieutenants such as Steve Bannon endorsed the new right-wing candidate, who ultimately lost to his centre-left rival. In Britain, Trump has allied closely with Reform's Nigel Farage, the man who led the country to Brexit. Reform today is leading in the polls; Farage claims he has supplanted the Conservatives as the alternative government of the UK. Trump hasn't taken sides in the politics of America's Indo-Pacific allies. Yet. But Steve Bannon last week broadcast an endorsement of the conservative candidate in South Korea's snap presidential election to be held today (Tuesday). The election will decide the replacement for Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed after declaring martial law six months ago. During the Cold War and beyond, America promoted American values abroad – when it suited. So that hasn't changed. But American values have changed. They are now Donald Trump's values.
Sky News AU
7 days ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
US asked Australia about boosting defence spending a day after Albanese backed Labor's investment in the department
The Albanese government has opened the door to the possibility of boosting its defence spending, after the issue was raised by the United States. Defence Minister Richard Marles met with his American counterpart Pete Hegseth at the Shangri Dialogue in Singapore on Friday. The pair discussed the Australia-US relationship and the goal of providing security and stability in the Indo-Pacific in a meeting Mr Marles said left him with a "sense of optimism". The deputy prime minister also said Mr Hegseth raised the issue of defence spending after the US had asked its NATO allies to raise their spending to 3 per cent of GDP. "I wouldn't put a number on it. The need to increased defence spending is something that he definitely raised and you have seen the Americans in the way in which they have engaged with all of their friends and allies asking them to do more and we can completely understand why America would do that," he told ABC's Afternoon Briefing. "What I made clear is that this is a conversation that we are very willing to have and it is one that we are having already... but we want to make sure that we are contributing to the strategic moment that we all face. "We have done a lot already. But we are absolutely up for having this conversation and we want to calibrate our defence spending to meet the strategic moment that we all face. "In a rational world, defence spending is a function of strategic threat. There is definitely strategic threat in the world today and we are rational people." Mr Marles' comments come after the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) on Thursday warned the government risks falling behind in its military preparedness amid rising global threats. In the report, its author and former home affairs deputy secretary Mark Ablong concluded "the failure of this year's budget to meet that responsibility will make all Australians less secure". "Without urgent, coordinated and well resourced responses to those challenges, Australia risks a brittle and hollowed defence force, diminished industrial sovereignty, and compromised national security in a volatile Indo Pacific region." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded to the report but brushed off the concerns, maintaining his government had invested in the department more than adequately. "Well, that's what they do, isn't it, ASPI? I mean, seriously, they need to… have a look at themselves and the way they conduct themselves in debates," Mr Albanese told ABC Radio Brisbane. "We've had a defence strategic review. We've got considerable additional investment going into defence — $10 billion. "ASPI regularly produce these sort of reports, you know, run by people who have been in a position to make a difference in the past as part of former governments."
The Star
05-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
World leaders congratulate Albanese, pledge stronger ties with Australia
KUALA LUMPUR: World leaders have congratulated Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his May 3 electoral victory, reaffirming their commitment to deepening bilateral and multilateral ties with Canberra under his continued leadership. Messages of goodwill poured in from across the globe, with leaders expressing admiration for Albanese's leadership and a shared desire to strengthen cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, sustainability, and regional partnerships. United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio extended his congratulations on behalf of Washington, affirming the strength of the Australia-US alliance. "Australia is a valued ally, partner, and friend of the United States. Our shared values and democratic traditions provide the bedrock for an enduring alliance and for the deep ties between our peoples. "The United States looks forward to deepening its relationship with Australia to advance our common interests and promote freedom and stability in the Indo-Pacific and globally,' he said in a statement. China stands ready to work with the new Australian government led by Albanese, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Saturday, while congratulating the Labor Party and Albanese on their federal election victory, Xinhua reported. China is ready to work with the new Australian government to advance a more mature, stable and productive comprehensive strategic partnership, guided by shared understandings between both countries' leaders, for the benefit of both nations and regional stability, the spokesperson added. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also congratulated his Australian counterpart on winning a second term in office, saying the close ties between the two countries show "long-distance friendships can be the strongest", German Press Agency (dpa) reported. Starmer said: "Congratulations to Anthony Albanese on your election win. The UK and Australia are as close as ever - which goes to show that long-distance friendships can be the strongest." "I know that we will continue to work together on our shared ambitions, including on trade, investment and energy, working towards a better life for working people in the UK and Australia," he said. Several leaders also took to platform X (formerly Twitter) to convey their congratulations. Canada's recently elected Prime Minister Mark Carney said Australia and Canada were close partners in "an increasingly divided world". "In an increasingly divided world, Canada and Australia are close partners and the most reliable of friends. We have the opportunity to build on that relationship and our shared values to the benefit of both our nations, and I look forward to it,' he said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Albanese's re-election as a "resounding victory'. "This emphatic mandate indicates the enduring faith of the Australian people in your leadership. I look forward to working together to further deepen the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and advance our shared vision for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,' he said. French President Emmanuel Macron warmly congratulated Albanese, saying: "In the face of global challenges, Australia and France have so much to achieve together - especially in the Indo-Pacific. Let us continue to write, with ambition and friendship, the new chapter of our partnership.' Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto has congratulated Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his re-election, pledging to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations. In a message posted on X Saturday night, he said Albanese's renewed mandate reflected the trust and confidence of the Australian people, and praised his "strong commitment to inclusive growth, sustainability, and international cooperation.' "I look forward to continuing and strengthening our partnership with Australia under Prime Minister Albanese's leadership. "We will work together to address shared challenges and pursue mutual goals in the region and beyond,' he wrote. In light of Albanese's recent re-election, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba extended his congratulations and conveyed that Japan looks forward to continuing collaboration to further develop the relationship as "Special Strategic Partners', and to realise a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific'. - Bernama
