Penny Wong to push counterpart Marco Rubio for ‘embarrassingly’ late Albo-Trump meeting
Australia’s foreign affairs minister is set to push for a meeting between Albanese and Trump, as Opposition slams ‘embarrassing’ lack of progress.
NSW
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Penny Wong will make the case for a face-to-face meeting between Donald Trump and Anthony Albanese directly to her counterpart Marco Rubio, even as plans firm for the Prime Minister to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping again before securing a meeting with the US President.
Mr Albanese is expected to head to China in mid-July, in what would be the fourth meeting he has had with China’s president.
It comes as the Opposition slammed the ongoing lack of a meeting between the Prime Minister and Mr Trump as “embarrassing”, while also calling on star power – like Gina Rinehart or Greg Norman – to help set up a sit down.
Mr Albanese is also expected to head to New York in September, where it is suspected he could address the United Nations conference.
Questioned on Monday whether he would seek a meeting with Mr Trump before September, Mr Albanese said he was “prepared, of course, to meet with President Trump when a suitable time can be organised”.
“We also have the Quad meeting coming up that we are finalising as well, which will bring together the leaders …(of) the United States, Australia, Japan (and) India, and that will take place in coming months,” he told the ABC.
“So these things are being organised. I look forward to having a meeting and continuing the constructive dialogue that I’ve had with President Trump up to now.”
Ms Wong, who travelled to Washington Monday for a meeting of Quad nations’ foreign affairs ministers, is expected to appeal directly to her counterpart, US secretary of state Marco Rubio, for their countries’ chiefs to meet.
Coalition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said Ms Wong must return from the US with “absolute clarity” around the Trump Administration’s review of the $368 billion AUKUS nuclear submarine deal.
“The Foreign Minister must also lay the groundwork for a bilateral meeting between the Prime Minister and President Trump ahead of the deadline on tariffs,” Mr Taylor said.
“Relationships matter and the fact the Prime Minister is yet to secure this meeting is becoming embarrassing. The government must reach a deal on tariffs that matches or exceeds the terms extended to the UK before time runs out.”
Coalition trade spokesman Kevin Hogan agreed it was “frankly embarrassing” Mr Albanese had yet to secure a meeting with his US counterpart, as the United States prepares to end a pause on promised tariffs which will hit Australian imports to the US with a 10 per cent levy.
“The 90-day pause on full implementation of these tariffs is about to expire. Without action, Australian exporters will be hit hard,” he said.
Senior Nationals MP Matt Canavan said Australia “should be pulling out all stops to connect with the Trump administration” – even if that included using left of field candidates to act in a diplomatic role, including pro golf legend Greg Norman or Australia’s richest resident, Gina Rinehart.
Mr Canavan said “if it takes the PM working with (high profile Australians), then just get it done,” he said.
It’s understood the Australian government is confident the tariffs won’t be increased above 10 per cent, which is the equal-lowest baseline levy levelled against countries, with Mr Albanese saying on Monday “we’ll continue to put our case forward that it shouldn’t be 10, it should be zero”.
Director of Research at the United States Studies Centre Jared Mondschein said it was crucial Ms Wong push for a meeting between Mr Albanese and the President, highlighting tariffs, the AUKUS review and security in the Indo-Pacific swirling around as critical issues.
“A face-to-face with this administration is more consequential than prior ones – it should be something that Penny Wong makes an effort to do, but I don’t think it’s an existential challenge if she doesn’t get one,” he said.
Mr Mondschein said Australia had other avenues – such as co-operation on critical mineral production, supply chains, and even bilateral co-operation on space exploration – as opportunities to explore with the US.
The US has also consistently pressured Australia to up defence spending to 3.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, up from the 2.3 per cent it is set to hit in coming years.
Mr Mondschein said Australia had to instead emphasise to the US what actions it was taking to bolster defence and security in the Indo-Pacific, rather than debating a figure.
“I would try to move the conversation beyond a number, because that’s easy to get fixated on, and focus on capabilities,” he said.
“Does Australia want to continue have Chinese ships capable of circumnavigating the country … and conducting live fire exercises? … The starting point is not a number, but the capabilities Australia is pursuing.”
Mr Albanese also responded to an opinion article by China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, in which the diplomat claimed China was spending just 1.5 per cent of GDP on defence, and that his country and Australia were “friends, not foes”.
“The Chinese ambassador speaks for China,” Mr Albanese told reporters, regarding the article published in The Australian.
“My job is to speak for Australia.
“And it’s in Australia’s national interest for us to invest in our capability and to invest in our relationships, and we’re doing just that.”
Originally published as Penny Wong to push counterpart Marco Rubio for ‘embarrassingly’ late Albo-Trump meeting
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