The US tariffs could have a similar impact as standover man Chopper Read | Samantha Maiden

Donald Trump’s tactics look familiar to anyone who watched the work of one infamous Australian standover man, writes Samantha Maiden.

A standover man, to use the Australian vernacular, is a person who extorts money by intimidation to bully others into bending to his will.

Mark Brandon ‘Chopper’ Read explained it this way when writing of his life of crime.

“My apprenticeship in crime began in the 1970s. This had me robbing massage parlours and taking on contracts to maim and kill rivals,’’ he said.

“I had obtained a doctorate as a standover man. Although some of my victims chose to chew razor blades (at their own request of course), before they would hand over cash. And I am the psychopath!”

What do Chopper Read and US President Donald Trump have in common?

Infamous criminal Mark "Chopper" Read. .

While the White House may not be in the business of robbing massage parlours, the overall effect – bullying others into handing over money – is remarkably simpatico.

Australia woke up this morning fearing US President Donald Trump would slap new tariffs on all imports from overseas and they could be as high as 20 per cent until, of course, the US offers to negotiate them down over time if we do as we are told.

Australian government sources had confirmed that nobody knew exactly what the US president planned to do when he unveiled his plans for ‘Liberation Day’ on Thursday morning.

However, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom feared that the tariffs imposed would be broad and wide-ranging.

Cue a Tarzan act by our political leaders, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton suddenly vowing to get tough with Trump in a big way.

“If I needed to have a fight with Donald Trump or any other world leader, to advance our nation’s interest, I’d do it in a heartbeat,” Mr Dutton told Sky News.

“I’ll put the Americans on notice and anyone else who seeks to act against our national interest.”

Meanwhile, the Albanese government is preparing to take the United States to the World Trade Organization, as if there’s some sort of sign that Trump would respect that.

Underlining the pessimism about exemptions, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the tariff move as an act of self-harm.

Container ships are seen docked at Kwai Chung Container terminal in Hong Kong on April 2, 2025. Asian markets edged up as nervous investors brace for US President Donald Trump's wave of tariffs. Picture: Peter PARKS / AFP

Mr Albanese said the sweeping tariffs did not make “much sense” but warned Mr Trump was “absolutely committed” to them.

“The whole world for a long time has been saying what we need to do is to have free and fair trade between countries. That’s how we lift everyone up.’’ he said.

“And President Trump has a different plan from the rest of the world. He’s entitled to do that, of course, but I think it will have a damaging impact on the American economy. Self-harming his own economy.”

So why do it? One reason is revenue. There are longstanding reports the US president may try to deliver tax cuts.

Overnight, reports emerged that White House Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was “a new voice at the table pushing crazy s**t”.

So that’s comforting.

Another source suggested the US President wanted to force people to grovel.

“Each country needs to panic and call. … Trump wants to hear you grovel and say you’ll cut a deal.”

Mr Lutnick is a billionaire who accused Australia of flogging aluminium “dirt cheap” in an extraordinary on-air rant last month.

“Look, you’ve got dumpers in the rest of the world. Japan dumps steel. China dumps steel. What that means is, they make it, they overproduce and they sell it dirt cheap, to drive our guys out of business,” he said on Fox Business.

“The President is here to protect American workers. He’s here to protect American industry. We’re going to stop that nonsense and bring steel here.”

US media outfits also underlined the threat of 20 per cent tariffs that would send shockwaves through the stock market.

According to Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moodys, the worst-case scenario was a global trade war contributing to unemployment at 7 per cent in the US and a recession.

“I’d brace for impact,” he said.