A private talk by the US commerce secretary to Australian executives in Washington was a jaw-dropper and a wake-up call about the next steps in the upheaval.
When US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick spoke at the Australian embassy in Washington three weeks ago, business executives attending were stunned by his breathtaking remarks on the Trump administration’s global trade revolution.
In a fireside chat, ambassador and former prime minister Kevin Rudd interviewed Lutnick in the presence of Macquarie Group chief executive Shemara Wikramanayake and about seven superannuation fund senior representatives, including former Labor federal treasurer Wayne Swan. Dozens of other Australian expats from the business and diplomatic community were present at the invitation-only dinner.
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John Kehoe is economics editor at Parliament House, Canberra. He writes on economics, politics and business. John was Washington correspondent covering Donald Trump’s first election. He joined the Financial Review in 2008 from Treasury. Connect with John on Twitter. Email John at jkehoe@afr.com
