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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said there is an “ideological disagreement” between the American and Australian governments, saying the free-trade agreement between the two countries must be relied upon as Australia is threatened with new tariffs.
“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,” Albanese told ABC radio.
“They increase the costs of goods and services in the country that is applying them to its consumers, and free trade is in the interests of the global economy. It’s in the interests of Australia. It’s also in the interests of the United States.”
Albanese said the newest tranche of tariffs do not single Australia out, and that none of the 54 countries threatened with the tariff were given a warning.
“Australia and the United States are important allies. We have important economic security relationships, and it is unfortunate that there have been a rolling series of decisions, some of which have been changed from time to time,” Albanese said.
“All of which do have a common theme, which is that the United States is a supporter of tariffs, argues that it is to its benefit. We actually think, not only is it not in the interests of the United States, importantly it undermines the global trading system.”
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