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https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-tariff-rebuff-feeds-into-debate-about-how-australia-handles-donald-trump-251624>
"Anthony Albanese didn’t mince words in responding to Donald Trump’s refusal to
grant Australia an exemption from the United States’ tariff on aluminium and
steel. “This is not a friendly act,” the prime minister declared bluntly.
It’s hard to think when an Australian government has used such strong language
about the United States.
The not-unexpected decision is less important for itself – we only export $800
million-plus worth of aluminium and steel annually to the US – than for its
wider implications and portends. These are economic and political, but how far
reaching they’ll be is near-impossible to predict.
Australia could be hit by future tariffs Trump has in mind. More generally, if
the American tariffs trigger an international trade war, that will have serious
fallout for us.
An even more basic question is: will the realignment the Trump administration
is bringing to the US’s international outlook lead to a weakening in the
Australian-American relationship?
There are differing views on how Australia should regard the Trump era.
One approach suggests assuming (or hoping) the Australia-US relationship is so
grounded in common interest, military ties and history that things will return
to normal after a few disruptive years.
Another view says we must accept the US is becoming an unreliable partner and
that, while its national interest might mean it would come to Australia’s aid
if needed, we have less reason than before to assume it would do so. On this
view, Australia has to put aside the old “great and powerful friends” mindset
and understand it is likely to be much more on its own than it has previously
thought.
Crossbencher Jacqui Lambie says, “America is no longer a reliable ally –
hopefully that will change, but in the meantime we can’t keep assuming that
America has our back, Trump clearly doesn’t have anyone’s back except his
own”."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
