Australia has dodged a hit from President Donald Trump‘s latest tariff crackdown, with the country not named among those facing higher ‘reciprocal’ tariffs under his executive order.
That means Australia will continue to pay the standard 10 per cent rate, which was imposed in April.
There were fears that this could grow to 15 to 20 per cent, but the White House says that is not immediately changing.
But Labor MP Ed Husic has warned that if the Trump Administration does hit Australia with higher tariffs, it would send a troubling message.
‘It’s not an act of a friend at all. It’s not based on fact. It’s not an act of a country that wants others to engage meaningfully on the issues that it’s concerned about.
‘I understand there’ll be elements of the Trump Administration that believe that they have copped a raw deal from other nations. They’re not copping it from Australia, which has stood by their side for decades in some of the toughest circumstances as well.
‘You just don’t treat us like this. I don’t think that’s a way you build stronger friendships when you need them at a time where the global environment is so hotly contested.’
