Opposition MPs have criticised the Prime Minister and Trade Minister for failing to meet with President Donald Trump in person during negotiations for an exemption.
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00:00Speaking with government sources, they're essentially saying that discussions will be
00:07carried out right until the last minute, but there's certainly a sense of disappointment
00:11given just a month ago Anthony Albanese had a very friendly phone discussion with Donald
00:16Trump in which the US President said that he would deeply consider Australia's request
00:22to be carved out from these 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium.
00:30Now it would appear from the latest commentary from the White House, that's no longer on
00:35the table.
00:36However, we do know that Kevin Rudd, who is Australia's ambassador to the United States,
00:41he was slated to meet with key officials within the Trump administration today.
00:46So he will be making a last ditch attempt, you could say, to secure a carve out.
00:52So there is some ray of hope there.
00:54We did hear from the Health Minister, Mark Butler, on these developments this morning
01:00and he says he's ultimately disappointed.
01:04This is obviously deeply disappointing news, but we knew this was going to be a tough fight.
01:09The second Trump administration seems much more determined on this front than perhaps
01:14the first administration, and even back then when the Turnbull government was in office
01:18here in Australia, it took nine months to gain the exemption that they ultimately did.
01:23So we've been working very hard on this.
01:26Today's news is disappointing, but we don't see this issue as being over by any means.
01:32There is an election around the corner, what are the political implications of this?
01:36Well this is obviously an evolving situation, but the Albanese government is obviously alive
01:42to the impacts of this decision on the Australian economy, given the cost of living is just
01:49so crucial and front of mind for voters across the nation.
01:53When it comes to the raw politics of this decision though, in recent weeks we've already
01:57seen the Coalition moving to paint these tariff exemptions as a bit of a test for the Albanese
02:04government.
02:05We've already heard from some members of the Coalition this morning essentially saying
02:11this is a failure of Anthony Albanese's leadership, and Australia would have had a better hand
02:17at the negotiating table had the Prime Minister travelled to Washington DC and met with Donald
02:23Trump in person, because the US President is a leader who really values those personal
02:29relationships.
02:30On the other side though, we've seen the likes of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
02:36He did manage to secure exemptions under the first Trump administration, however he says
02:42that this time round the equation has ultimately changed and the Albanese government wouldn't
02:48be to blame if it isn't able to secure those carve-outs.