‘Don’t want that here’: Anthony Albanese’s warning on Donald Trump’s politics on our shores

Donald Trump has vowed to give Anthony Albanese a call to discuss a possible trade deal - hours after the Australian PM took aim at politics in the US.

EXCLUSIVE

US President Donald Trump has hinted he will talk tariffs with Australia after the election as the PM warned voters “don’t want that here” in relation to US-style politics.

In his strongest comments to date linking Peter Dutton who has been accused of being a Temu Trump and Trump-lite, Mr Albanese said Australian voters weren’t buying it.

Overnight the US President Donald Trump acknowledged Australia’s efforts to talk to him about trade.

As he prepared to board a flight in Washington, Mr Trump was asked: “The Australian prime minister is having an election this weekend. Will you speak to him about trade?”

Mr Trump replied: “They are calling and I will be talking to him, yes.”

‘Don’t want that here’: Anthony Albanese’s warning

Mr Albanese has warned Australians “don’t want that here” when it comes to Donald Trump in his strongest comments to date linking Peter Dutton to the US President.

In an exclusive interview with news.com.au, Mr Albanese said that Australia simply had a very different political culture.

“I think Australians look at the United States, and they see a society that is really conflicted, is really polarised, that’s not healthy,’’ Mr Albanese told news.com.au.

“They don’t want that here.”

Anthony Albanese with security detail on campaign trail this week. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump has hinted he will talk tariffs with Australia after the election. Picture: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

The Prime Minister added that President Trump’s equivocation of tariffs, which he described as having “walked them back and then walked them forward”, was reflected in Mr Dutton’s own backflips on work from home policies.

“We have a different culture here, and they don’t want to see a user pay system for health,’’ he said.

“They want to see us go the Australian way to deal with Australian issues.

“I think (voters) are worried about some of the policies that Peter Dutton has put forward.

“Sacking public servants. The working from home policy. The rhetoric about inclusion and people being employed on the basis of gender. The attempt to look at culture wars.”

Mr Albanese was joined by partner Jodie Haydon on the campaign trail this week. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

Liberals fear Trump has ‘smashed us’

Liberal strategists have privately suggested if Peter Dutton loses the election on Saturday night they will blame one man: Donald Trump.

“Honestly, easily, the single biggest factor is Trump,’’ a senior Liberal told news.com.au.

“He has just smashed us, right? And if you track the timing, the polling starts to turn south for us after an inauguration day, accelerates a bit after the Zelensky meeting and then after the tariffs, it just drops through the floor.”

Asked if he would have President Trump to thank for a second term the Prime Minister deflected.

Liberal insiders blame Trump for poor polling, saying his influence has damaged their chances. Picture: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

However, he later raised the example of Canada, where the governing Liberal Party won the nation’s election, despite trailing in the polls three months ago when Justin Trudeau resigned.

That political turnaround is being blamed on Donald Trump’s tariffs that have turned the tide in favour of the current government, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney.

“No, look, I think what Australians have also seen is that President Trump has changed positions on tariffs for example pretty regularly,’’ Mr Albanese told news.com.au.

“He made a range of announcements and then has walked them back and then walked them forward, and then walked them back again. 

“I think they see a parallel with Mr Dutton … Working from home policies, EV (electric vehicle) policies, road user charges.

“I think people have a look at uncertainty and they know also that in uncertain times what they’re looking for is not volatility.

Mr Albanese with son Nathan and partner Jodie Haydon. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

“What they’re looking for is stability and certainty, and that’s what my government is – the most stable.

“There have been turbulent times, the biggest inflation crisis since the 1980s, the biggest energy crisis since the 1970s.

“And part of my pitch is that we’ve changed Prime Ministers at every election since 2004, when John Howard was re-elected.

“I think that that appeal to stability is a strength of the government and the team’s approach as well.

Medicare promise

Mr Albanese stopped short of guaranteeing that 90 per cent of people will get bulk billed under his proposed changes to Medicare.

“Well, that is certainly our objective by 2030,’’ the Prime Minister said.

“But it’s based upon a real analysis which is it will lift the pay, for example, of a doctor GP working in a fully bulk billed clinic.

Mr Albanese criticised Dutton’s inconsistency, comparing his policy backflips to Trump’s shifting tariff positions. Picture: Adam Head / NewsWire

Bank of mum and dad

Housing affordability has been another huge issue in the election.

All first-home buyers will be able to enter the property market with just a 5 per cent deposit from next year under a new ALP policy.

The proposal is not means-tested, prompting claims that it would be available to millionaires’ children.

But Mr Albanese conceded that like many families he was also happy to offer his own son some help from the bank of mum and dad one day.

“I’m privileged and I’m in a position of course to help out my son,’’ he said.

“That’s just a reality.”

Mr Albanese said his late mother had drummed into him the idea that rent was “dead money.”

“I had it drummed into me when I was younger about paying money, but not getting anything back.

“Who knows, he is a very independent young man. Living his own life and I’m very proud of him. 

“He is a great young man.”