Opinion

We shouldn’t hit back on tariffs – it would just hurt us more

Despite the $1 billion hit, it would be self-defeating to retaliate in kind against Donald Trump’s refusal to exclude Australia from his 25 per cent global levy.

Michael StutchburyEditor-at-large

Mar 12, 2025 – 10.18am

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Them’s fighting words from Malcolm Turnbull and new Canadian prime minister Mark Carney.

But it would be self-defeating for Canberra to retaliate in kind against Donald Trump’s refusal to exclude Australia from his 25 per cent global tariff on about $1 billion of our aluminium and steel imports.

Michael Stutchbury is the former editor-in-chief and editor-at-large of The Australian Financial Review. Michael left in 2025 after more than four decades writing and editing national newspapers.