Australia’s penguins left to ponder how they’ll pay Trump’s tariff

One of the most remote places on Earth, home to penguins rather than people, hasn’t escaped Donald Trump’s tariffs.

One of the most remote places on Earth, home to penguins rather than people, hasn’t escaped Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Heard Islands, a volcanic group of mostly barren Antarctic Islands, is home to penguins, seals and certain species of flying birds.

About 4,100 kilometres (2,200 nautical miles) southwest of Perth, the external Australian territory takes about two weeks by sea to get there.

Mr Trump also “bizarrely” slapped higher tariffs on Norfolk Island, – with confused locals thinking the measures are a prank.

Mr Trump’s “liberation day” import taxes unveiled on Thursday include a 29 per cent tariff on all Norfolk Island exports to the US despite the territory, which is 1,600km off the coast of Sydney and home to just 2,000 people.

The US is hitting Heard Island and the McDonald Islands with hefty tariffs. They are located about 4,100 kilometres (2,200 nautical miles) southwest of Perth. You can only get there by sea, which from Australia takes two weeks.

The 29% whack to Norfolk Island is almost three times bigger than the 10% tariff on Australia.

Norfolk Island has a tiny export industry, including items like sowing seeds and leather, with small export markets in the US and Singapore.

US government data shows that the United States has had trade deficits with Norfolk Island for the past 3 years, exporting $200,000 worth of good to the US in 2024, while only importing $100,000 worth of goods from them.

Norfolk Island locals were also perplexed by the import tax.

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) gather on the Australian subantarctic territory of Heard Island, located in the Indian Ocean over 4,100 kilometres southwest of Perth.

Local publican of the Salty Beer Garden, Alana Spreag said she had thought it was a prank when she first heard the island had received its own special tariff.

“It’s bizarre – I would have thought Trump wouldn’t even know this place exists.”

The Heard Island and the McDonald Islands have been hit with a 10 per cent tariff.

Anthony Albanese said the “strange” tariffs that have been imposed on Australian territories like Norfolk Island show that “nowhere on Earth was exempt” from Trump’s tariffs.

“It is of course is a part of Australia,” he said.

“I’m not sure that Norfolk Island with respect to it is a threat to the United States economy and therefore I think it being singled out is rather strange.”

Originally published as Australia’s penguins left to ponder how they’ll pay Trump’s tariff