Kevin Rudd pokes fun at Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs

Kevin Rudd has likened Donald Trump’s proposal to put a 100pc tariff on movies made outside the US to a tax on popular cartoon, Bluey, as he poked fun at America’s sweeping tariffs

Australian ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd has warned Trump's tariffs would result in a 'tax on Bluey'. Picture: Getty Images/Lyndon Mechielsen

Australian ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, has attacked the wisdom of Donald Trump’s decision to put a 100 per cent tariff on movies made outside of the US by warning it would result in a “tax on Bluey” – the popular children’s cartoon.

The public comments from Dr Rudd were made at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday local time, after the US President proposed the new tariff on his Truth Social platform earlier in the week – declaring that the American movie industry was being “devastated” by US filmmakers and studios working abroad.

Dr Rudd also used his platform to poke fun at the administration’s Liberation Day tariffs announced on April 2, given the White House opted to slap a 10 per cent tariff on any exports to America from the uninhabited Heard and McDonald Islands – Australian territories populated by penguins and other wildlife.

The Australian ambassador said that “movies are the way in which we kind of understand each other more.”

“What happens if we all lock down our countries with competitive, punitive arrangements against each other’s movies. Movies are the way in which we kind of understand each other more,” he said. “And so I’d be all for opening this out. Otherwise, if you’ve seen the great Australian movie Happy Feet and the penguins?”

“Those penguins of ours have just been tariffed,” he said. “They are producing a sequel. It’s called ‘Unhappy Feet.’ And there’ll be a march of penguins on Washington.”

The comments from Dr Rudd were made in good humour, but contain a pointed criticism of the new trade agenda being pursued by Washington.

They also suggest the ambassador may be feeling a greater sense of confidence over his own position following the emphatic election win for Anthony Albanese and Labor back in Australia.

The ambassador faced scrutiny in Australia over disparaging remarks he made about Mr Trump in the past, with a senior member of the President’s inner circle – Dan Scavino – signalling unhappiness with Dr Rudd last year on social media platform X.

Arguing that Mr Trump’s proposed movie tariff would have an impact “more broadly in the popular culture,” Dr Rudd took Bluey as a key example.

“If you have kids or grandkids, this great Australian cartoon series about a dog in my home town of Brisbane. It’s the biggest brand among any kid under the age of seven here in the United States,” Dr Rudd said.

“I don’t think we want to see a tax on Bluey.”

He questioned “what a tariff on Bluey would mean.”

Filmmaker Bruce Beresford has also questioned the practicality of Donald Trump’s plan to impose a 100pc tariff on all movies made outside of the US. Picture: John Feder

Dr Rudd was joined in his criticism of the US by the UK ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, who was speaking on the same panel.

Politico said that Lord Mandelson was quizzed about the importance of Britain’s cultural diplomacy, fashion and its global icons such as James Bond.

“That’s why we’re not very keen on tariffs on cars, nor are we terribly keen on tariffs on films, amongst the best of which, of course, are now made in Britain,” Mandelson said.

The Australian reported earlier this week that one of Australia’s greatest film directors, Bruce Beresford, had questioned the practicality of Mr Trump’s plan to impose a 100 per cent tariff on all movies made outside of the US.

Mr Beresford said he had “always found it difficult to understand Mr Trump’s rulings on virtually everything.”

“He changes his position on so many, most, of his own rulings. Does he really consider it practical to prevent any American films being shot outside USA?”

Mr Beresford, who has enjoyed a career spanning more than 50 years and made more than 30 feature films, said that Australia was “unquestionably a desirable location – a well organised country with an outstanding group of talented actors and technicians.”

“American films made there still frequently involve many American actors and crew – and are shown profitably around the world,” he said.

Mr Beresford, who has been nominated for multiple Academy Awards and whose film Driving Miss Daisy won the 1989 Oscar for best picture, said that “some films simply need to be made overseas.”