Australia PM says he is in ‘ideological disagreement’ with US over new tariffs
SYDNEY, June 4 — Australia’s prime minister said today there was “ideological disagreement” over tariffs with the United States, which has proposed a new levy on the country’s goods.
Washington this week proposed new duties targeting 60 economies for alleged failures to act against forced labour.
Australia is among a number of countries to be hit with a 12.5 per cent rate as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to rebuild its tariff agenda following legal setbacks.
The new rate would replace the existing 10 per cent tariff on Australian goods exported to the United States.
In response, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the new rate was “unjustified”.
“There is an ideological disagreement where the United States administration has broken with what was a decades-long understanding that tariffs are not positive for the country that is imposing them,” he told national broadcaster ABC.
“Australia has robust, comprehensive and world-leading legislation addressing forced labour and modern slavery,” he insisted.
Trade Minister Don Farrell met on Wednesday with US counterpart Jamieson Greer in Paris where he protested the new proposed rate.
