Prime Minister Albanese responds to potential US tariffs on steel and aluminium

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says an Australian exemption to tariffs is in the best interest of the US during question time.

Transcript

00:00We will always stand up for Australia's national interests, and it is in Australia's national

00:04interests to have free and fair trade.

00:08This government has a strong record, indeed, of working with other nations to protect and

00:13advance Australia's trade interests.

00:16We will navigate any differences which are there diplomatically, and we will continue

00:21to make the case to the United States for Australia to be given an exemption to any

00:27steel and aluminium tariffs.

00:30We have raised with the U.S. Administration in recent ministerial discussions these issues.

00:37Australian steel and aluminium are core input to U.S. supply chains and U.S.-based industry.

00:43Indeed, just this morning I had a meeting with the global CEO of Rio Tinto.

00:50Australian companies have significant investments in U.S. steel industry, creating thousands

00:55of jobs in both the U.S. and in Australia.

00:59We will continue to make the case for Australia's national interests with the U.S. Administration,

01:05and what's more, we regard this as also being in the U.S.'s national interest as well, because

01:12tariffs, of course, don't tax us, they tax the purchases of our products.

01:21That is something that's very clear, and it's also a fact that the U.S. has had a trade

01:27surplus with Australia since the Truman presidency.

01:32I have a discussion with President Trump scheduled, and I will certainly keep the House and the

01:45Australian people informed after that discussion.