SYDNEY
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said he will continue raising concerns with U.S. President Donald Trump over Washington’s latest tariff measures, describing the new trade restrictions as unjustified and reaffirming Australia’s commitment to securing their removal through diplomatic engagement.
The United States on Friday imposed fresh tariffs on imports from 60 trading partners, alleging those countries had failed to adequately prevent the trade of goods produced using forced labour. The move came as a temporary 10% global tariff expired, ushering in a revised tariff structure affecting dozens of countries, including Australia.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Albanese confirmed that the tariff issue would remain a priority in discussions with the U.S. administration.
Absolutely, Albanese said when asked whether he would seek to discuss the matter directly with President Trump. We’ll raise it at every level in the Australia-U.S. relationship, we’ve already done so, he said in televised remarks.
The Albanese-led Labor government has strongly criticized the new tariffs, arguing they are unwarranted given Australia’s existing labour standards and trade practices. Canberra maintains that Australia has robust safeguards against modern slavery and forced labour and is taking additional steps to strengthen those protections.
Albanese said Australia was further tightening its modern slavery framework by strengthening supply chain oversight and ensuring businesses could face substantial fines and penalties for violations. He emphasized that the country’s regulatory measures demonstrate Australia’s commitment to ethical trade and should be recognized by its trading partners.
Under the new U.S. tariff regime, imports from Australia and 37 other countries will face a 12.5% tariff. Another 17 countries are subject to a 10% tariff, while five countries will face mixed tariff rates depending on the products involved.
The tariffs add a new point of friction in the long-standing Australia-U.S. trade relationship. Albanese has consistently advocated for free and fair trade with the United States and previously raised tariff concerns during a call with Trump after his centre-left Labor government secured a landslide election victory last year.