Trump turns MPs into Yes Minister caricatures

Trade Minister Don Farrell was certain Australia was obeying Donald Trump’s diktats on steel and aluminium. What they were he couldn’t say.

“I am sure that we comply with all of the obligations that America imposes on those companies that are supplying into the United States,” he declared on ABC radio’s RN Breakfast on Thursday morning.

Trade Minister Don Farrell has the unenviable task of reasoning with a man who has made being unreasonable the core of his political brand.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Who was telling the Americans just how much aluminium Australian exporters are sending to the country so they can check?

“I can’t say I know exactly how that information is collected by the Americans,” was the minister’s reply.

And what were the terms of the deal allegedly established between then-prime minister Scott Morrison and Trump that set these unknown limits in the first place?

“They are matters for Mr Morrison or Mr Birmingham, who was the trade minister at the time,” Farrell said sagely.

Here was the “Donfather”, a Labor backroom operator par excellence, speaking like an unpolished Bill Shorten circa 2012.

“I haven’t seen what [prime minister Julia Gillard] said but let me say I support what it is that she said,” Shorten said in what has become a classic of political speak. “My view is what the prime minister’s view is.”

Farrell’s week has been a busy one. Wearing his special minister of state hat has seen him negotiate a package of changes to electoral donations laws. But it has been his trade portfolio that has dragged the 70-year-old out of backrooms for the unenviable task of reasoning with Trump, a man who has made being unreasonable the centre of his political brand.

If the cost is appearing like an extra on Yes Minister, Farrell is far from alone in being willing to pay it.

Take the demure Australian response to Trump administration trade advisor Peter Navarro’s claim that “the major [aluminium] companies in Australia are held – majority owned by – the largest shareholder is China”.

In fact, only Rio Tinto has a substantial Chinese shareholder, Chinalco, which was blocked from acquiring more than its 15 per cent stake years ago.

But no one – not the companies, not Farrell, not Prime Minister Anthony Albanese or opposition trade spokesman Kevin Hogan – would point that out.

Public displays of loyalty are currency to Trump and Australia is paying its share. Whether it is enough to defeat Navarro’s agenda is unclear.

The trade counsellor was willing to serve four months in prison in his 70s for refusing to turn on the president and hand over records sought by the US congressional committee investigating the riot on January 6. It is a safe bet that Farrell, who is so fond of the finer things that a wine label bears his name, would not do the same.

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